Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Refuge, an emergency shelter that Manna Café Ministries planned to open to help homeless in Clarksville with a warm place to stay halted its planned operations Monday, January 5. Manna Cafe was preparing for the bitter cold weather expected to hit the area this week.
Kenny York, Co-Founder and Director of Manna Café, said Clarksville City officials told him that there were enough beds available for those in need. “We’ve been informed that there are enough beds already in place in the city for people to stay warm and they don’t need our services,” York said.
“I can tell you that there are beds available at Buffalo Valley, at the Salvation Army and through the Room at the Inn program that’s run through the Old Firehouse Day Shelter,” said Jennifer Rawls, Public Information Officer for the City of Clarksville.
Rawls added that there are currently beds available at all of those locations through those programs and an emergency shelter is by definition in cases where beds are not available. All of those groups have been trained not only to provide shelter for a night but to also identify other resources that are needed.
The Salvation Army, located at 210 Kraft St., issued a statement saying their facility will remain open all week long, 24 hours a day in order to allow people to stay in the shelter, which currently has 9 female beds, 5 male beds, and 2 family rooms available.
“New residents will be able to check in during that day. People will also be able to come in off the street to warm up as well,” said Captain Cristina Coulson with the Salvation Army.
The Room in the Inn program works with the Old Firehouse Day Shelter to provide help for those who are homeless. There are now 20 churches working with the Old Firehouse Day Shelter and each night a different church is signed up to take clients.
Tuesday night, the church can accept 20 people (16 men and 4 women). They have 10 beds filled and can take 10 more people as of 11 a.m.
You can call 931-542-0381 for more information, but everyone has to sign up in person at the Old Firehouse Day Shelter by 2:30 p.m. At that time the church will pick you up and take you to the church if you don’t have transportation.
Everyone is checked to make sure there is no alcohol, drugs or weapons are brought into the building. The building is located at 1498 Golf Club Lane.
The Refuge is located at the old TMS Contracting building at 635 Frosty Morn Drive. Last week Manna Café had made a public appeal for volunteers and donations to help with operation expenses at the shelter during the extremely cold temperatures that were forecast.
Anyone needing help that went to Manna Café Monday evening was taken to one of the other locations in the city that are offering help and a warm place to stay.
Manna Café and Clarksville officials are reportedly working together to come to an agreement with any issues involved with operations at The Refuge in case the city declares an emergency and its services are needed.
A Facebook page titled “Open the Refuge” has been created by the community in response to the decision. According to the page, citizens are planning to attend Mayor McMillan’s Oath of Office ceremony Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Roxy Regional Theatre.
However, Manna Cafe Director Kenny York issued a statement via the organization’s Facebook page this afternoon asking the public not to protest.
“Dear friends,
As grateful and humbled as I am about your support, I am asking you to stand down regarding the protest tonight. There are ways to voice our opinions about a difficult situation, but protesting the inaugural is not one of them. Manna Café does not wish to be in conflict with the City of Clarksville or her leaders. We’re working together to come to an agreement and to resolve this issue. Ultimately, this protest will do more harm than good and could affect the growth of Manna Café as a whole for years to come. Remember that our ultimate goal is to help the homeless, not to have the last say. Please keep the situation in prayer, and thank you for your understanding.
–Kenny”
Rewind 94.3 has decided to change the date of its annual coat drive as severe weather approaches. Volunteers will give out winter coats from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight at the Riverview Inn in downtown Clarksville.