CLARKSVILLE, TN – As Thanksgiving approaches, the City of Clarksville and its Canopy Initiative partners are preparing to ensure that our unhoused neighbors have a safe, warm, and welcoming place to spend the holiday.

This coordinated effort includes Clarksville-Area Urban Ministries, The Salvation Army, Irene Center for Hope, and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Action Agency.

But the shelters cannot open — not even for Thanksgiving — without enough volunteers to operate them.

Why This Matters Now

Clarksville’s winter warming shelters only open when temperatures are expected to drop below 35 degrees for three or more consecutive days. Forecasts indicate that this threshold may be met over the Thanksgiving holiday, meaning that many vulnerable individuals and families may need shelter during a time when volunteer availability is historically low.

Each partner plays a critical role:

  • Single Men: Served by Clarksville-Area Urban Ministries
  • Single Women and Families: Served by The Salvation Army
  • Families with Children: Also supported through Irene Center for Hope and Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Action Agency in coordination with local hotels and rapid-rehousing partners

These shelters provide more than a warm place to sleep—they offer safety, stability, community, and dignity during a season when isolation can feel especially heavy.

Urgent Call for Volunteers

The warming shelters cannot open or remain open without confirmed volunteers. With the holiday approaching, this need is even more urgent.

Without enough support, guests who rely on the warming shelter network may have no safe place to go.

Volunteers are needed for:

  • Preparing and/or serving meals
  • Shelter hosting: greeting guests, helping with bedding, offering hospitality
  • Overnight monitoring (critical for operations)
  • Clean-up and reset after meals or guest departure

Every shift — even a short one — directly impacts whether the shelters can open their doors.

How to Help

If you can give just a few hours this holiday season, please visit the Canopy Initiative page at ClarksvilleTN.gov to sign up. Volunteers will receive instructions and support to ensure they feel comfortable and prepared.

A Community Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, we invite the community to extend compassion beyond our own homes and into the lives of our neighbors who need us most.

By stepping forward as a volunteer, you offer far more than warmth. You offer hope, dignity, and a sense of belonging for those who may otherwise spend the holiday cold and alone.

Together, we can make this a Thanksgiving defined by compassion and community.

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