Crisis & Hardship Assistance
Limited help with food, shelter, clothing, utilities, supplies, fuel; some agencies also provide counseling on a limited basis. Hot meals are served at a variety of locations around town. Call 211 for locations and times.
American Red Cross
584-2999
6921 Middlebrook Pike, 37909
Disaster relief, including assistance for families that have lost homes to fire, flood, or other disaster. Communication between and financial assistance for servicemen and servicewomen and their families in emergencies.
» website
Angelic Ministries
523-8884
1218 N. Central Avenue, 37917
Household items, appliances, clothing, furniture (two pieces) free with referral from agency or church. Open Mon.- Thur., 10 a.m.-2 p.m; distribution Tues. & Wed., 7:30 a.m.
» website
Baptist Center at Western Heights
525-9068
1230 W. Scott Avenue, 37921
Community Market offers emergency help with food, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, Tues. and Thurs.; no referral needed. Clothing available 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. on Tues. & Thurs.
» website
CAC Homeward Bound
546-3500
2247 Western Avenue, 37921 (street)
P.O. Box 51650, 37950-1650 (mailing)
Case management and emergency services for the homeless, including housing, counseling, educational services, and job training.
CAC Neighborhood Centers
Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee
Assistance with benefits and services, including federal energy assistance. Home visit can be arranged if necessary.
East (East of Broadway)
546-5125
4200 Asheville Highway, 37914
North (Halls/North Knox County)
925-0880
7028 Maynardville Highway, 37918
South (South of the river)
577-7591
522 Maryville Pike, 37920
West (West of Broadway)
524-3345
L. T. Ross Bldg., 2247 Western Avenue, 37921 (street)
P.O. Box 51650, 37950-1650 (mailing)
Community Chest of Knox County
938-3517
2107 W. Emory Road, 37849
Help with clothing and household items. Very low cost.
Credability
1-800-251-2227
531 Callahan Drive, Suite 101, 37912
Nonprofit agency (formerly known as Consumer Credit Counseling) that provides education and counseling on credit, budgets, debt management, bankruptcy, housing, and foreclosure. Sliding scale fees.
Contact Helpline
Crisis help line: 584-4424
P.O. Box 4641, Oak Ridge, 37831-4641
Supportive, nonjudgmental listening with referrals to other agencies when appropriate. Phones answered 365 days/year, 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Family Crisis Center
637-8000
Child and Family Tennessee
24-hour crisis line; shelter for battered women, with or without children; counseling; referrals.
FISH
Provides three-day emergency supply of food. If you can pick up your food, go to the FISH Hospitality Pantry (listed below) nearest you on days indicated. Hours vary. May use the pantries as often as needed.
» website
Corryton
687-8438
7815 Corryton Road, 37721
Thurs., 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
East
522-3474
600 S. Chestnut Street, 37914
Mon. & Fri., 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., and Wed., 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Northwest
971-4000
122 W. Scott Avenue, 3791
Tues., Thurs., 4th Sat., 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
South
577-9600
115 Ogle Street, 37920
Wed., 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Fri., 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
FISH Team Delivery
523-7900
For those unable to pick up food, call after 9:00 a.m., Mon.-Sat., to arrange food deliveries. Food will be delivered as long as supply lasts. Some restrictions may apply.
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
673-6540
418 N. Broadway, 37917
Emergency food and shelter for families and adults (18+). Homeless assistance, and substance-abuse program for adults. Crossroads (633-7654) a homeless resource center, offers crisis intervention, phone and computer access, short-term storage, limited transportation, and referrals to health care and social services.
» website
Knox County Family Assistance Program (CAC)
2247 Western Avenue, 37921 (street)
P.O. Box 51650, 37950-1650 (mailing)
Help with utilities, rent, mortgage, and other payments for qualified families. Contact your CAC Neighborhood Center for additional information.
Knoxville Utilities Board
524-2911
TTY (for deaf only) 594-7494
P.O. Box 59017, 37950-9017
Call for information on or help with the BalancedPay Plan or any utility question. Ask about the third-party notification program that allows you to authorize another person to receive notification if you receive a Final Notice for disconnection.
» website
Ladies of Charity
Emergency Assistance: 522-6341
Office and Thrift store: 524-0538
120 W. Baxter Avenue, 37917
Thrift store offers clothing, furniture, and household goods. Emergency Assistance provides clothing vouchers for thrift store, and offers limited help with rent, utilities, and medications. Food pantry (limitations apply). Limited help with kerosene in winter (Dec. 1 - Apr. 1). Must have legal documents showing Social Security numbers of everyone in the household (no copies).
LIHEAP: Low-Income Home Emergency Assistance Program (CAC)
637-6700
2247 Western Avenue, 37921 (street)
P.O. Box 51650, 37950-1650 (mailing)
Year-round program that offers low-income households limited help toward utility bills and home-delivered fuels. Eligibility requirements.
Parkwest Behavioral Health Independent Living Program
374-7272
1451 Dowell Springs Road, Suite 101, 37909
Crisis assistance for persons who are receiving mental health services from a licensed provider. This is not a housing or residential program. Assistance includes rent, deposits, mortgage; utilities, deposits; medicines; and GED testing. And, on a limited basis: dental (extractions and dentures); eye exams and eyeglasses; minor car repair. Help is limited to once a year per person. Mon. & Wed., 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Call for eligibility requirements.
Positively Living
525-1540
1501 E. Fifth Avenue, 37917
Residential program for homeless men with a dual diagnosis of any two of the following: a major physical illness, mental illness, or a substance abuse problem.
Salvation Army
525-9401
409 N. Broadway, 37917
Emergency help with food, clothing, utilities, household items; program serves anyone, but must call for appointment. For battered and homeless women and their children: shelter and counseling at Joy Baker Center. Transitional housing program provides job-training, employment, and permanent housing for homeless persons.
» website
Samaritan Place
684-1880
a program of Catholic Charities of East TN, Inc.
3009 Lake Brook Boulevard, 37909
Temporary emergency housing for seniors, age 55+. Also offers respite care.
» website
Serenity Shelter
971-4673
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
P.O. Box 3352, 37927
24-hour crisis line. Shelter and counseling for any woman, with or without children, who is a victim of domestic violence. Long-term restoration programs for eligible women.
Volunteer Ministry Center
524-3926
511 N. Broadway, 37917
The Resource Center, open every day, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., offers meals, shower and laundry facilities, case management, life-skills classes, and more for homeless persons who are enrolled in VMC program to seek permanent housing. The Bush Family Refuge, open Mon.-Fri., 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., offers emergency assistance, counseling, some help with rent and utilities, food, transportation (limited), and help obtaining eyeglasses, prescriptions and other necessities for those who are homeless or marginally housed.
» website
YWCA
523-6126
420 W. Clinch Avenue, 37902
Transitional shelter for women age 18+. Private rooms, shared bathrooms. Communal living room and kitchen facilities. Fee. Must fill out application.
» website
