A new resource center called The Journey Home will break ground on Old Salem Road tomorrow, aiming to provide temporary housing and low-barrier healthcare for the estimated 4,000 homeless individuals in Rutherford County, as reported by WKRN.
The new 20,000-square-foot center will include a community café, an expanded commercial kitchen, ten short-term family housing units, a wellness clinic, and a chapel. Families make up over a quarter of the unhoused community in the area. Scott Foster, Executive Director of The Journey Home, noted the parking challenges for the groundbreaking and encouraged the public to use the free shuttle service from Experience Community Church, according to coverage by WGNS Radio.
The new facility embodies a commitment to addressing a critical deficit in Rutherford County; short-term housing options for families are sorely lacking. It will expand beyond mere shelter, offering job training and placement services aimed at helping individuals build sustainable lives, as detailed by Rutherford County Source.
Since 2006, The Journey Home has been a key ally in the fight against homelessness. The new hub will consolidate program resources and administrative offices, providing easier access to services under one roof. It will include a market for personal necessities and a conference/training center. UNHOUSED Capital Campaign Chair Russ Galloway stated that the new Wellness Clinic will offer medical and mental health care to neighbors facing challenges like lack of insurance and transportation, according to information obtained by WKRN.
