Crisis & Hardship Assistance
Provides limited help with food, shelter, clothing, utilities, supplies and fuel. Some agencies also offer counseling on a limited basis. Hot meals are served at various locations around town. Call 2-1-1 for locations and times.
American Red Cross: 584-2999
6921 Middlebrook Pike, 37909 | Website »
Disaster Relief: 584-2999 (24/7)
Assistance for families who have lost homes to fire, flood, or other disaster.
Service to Armed Forces: 1-877-272-7337
Emergency Communication Messages to members of the military (Guard, Reserves), requesting notification or presence. Access to financial assistance during financial hardship. Eligible – Active duty, Retired (Medically retired) military and their immediate family.
Angelic Ministries: 523-8884
1218 N. Central Avenue, 37917
Household items, appliances, and furniture (two large and two small) free with referral from agency or church. No referral needed for clothing, hygiene, and food items. Distribution Tues. & Wed., 7:30 am. Office open Mon. – Thur., 10 am – 3:30 pm. | Website »
Baptist Center at Western Heights: 525-9068
1230 W. Scott Avenue, 37921
Community Market offers emergency help with food, 8 am – 12 pm, Tues. and Thurs.; no referral needed. Clothing available 9 am-11 am on Tues. & Thurs.
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. | Website »
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. | Website »
East (East of Broadway): 546-5125
4200 Asheville Highway, 37914
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)
Knox County Family Assistance Program (CAC)
Helps with utilities, rent, mortgage, etc., for qualified families. Contact your CAC Neighborhood Center.
Community Chest of Knox County: 938-3517
2107 W. Emory Road, 37849
Help with clothing and household items. Very low cost. Store open Mon.-Sat., 10 am – 5 pm. | Website »
Corryton Hospitality Pantry: 687-8438
Rutherford Memorial United Methodist Church
7815 Corryton Road, Corryton, 37721
Open on 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, 9 am – 12 pm (or earlier if supplies run out).
CONTACT Care Line Crisis Care 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, 10 am – 10 pm. | Website »
Family Crisis Center: 637-8000
A service of Helen Ross McNabb Center
24-hour crisis hotline for victims of domestic violence to access safety planning and information about emergency shelter and support groups. Place of refuge for those experiencing domestic violence and their children. On-site counseling, advocacy, and case management. | Website »
FISH
Provides 3-day emergency supply of food. Pick up food at FISH Hospitality Pantry nearest you on days indicated. Hours vary. May use the pantries as often as needed. | Website »
East: 522-3474
600 S. Chestnut Street, 37914
Serves residents east of Broadway. Mon. & Fri., 10 am – 1 pm.
Northwest: 971-4000
122 W. Scott Avenue, 37917
Serves residents west of Broadway. Tues., Thurs., 4th Sat., 10 am – 1 pm.
South: 577-9600
201 Ogle Street, 37920
Serves residents south of the river. Wed. & Fri., 10 am – 1 pm.
FISH Delivery: 523-7900
For those unable to pick up food, call after 9 am, Mon.-Sat., to arrange delivery. Line stays busy; keep trying your call. Delivery orders will be taken each day as long as volunteer teams are available. If no answer, please call back the next day.
Knox Area Rescue Ministries: 673-6540
418 N. Broadway, 37917
Emergency food and shelter for 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): 546-3500
2247 Western Avenue, 37921 (street)
P.O. Box 51650, 37950-1650 (mailing)
Help with utilities, rent, mortgage, etc., for qualified families. Contact your CAC Neighborhood Center, page 65.
Knoxville Utilities Board: 524-2911
P.O. Box 59017, 37950-9017
Call for information on Levelized Billing Plan, referrals to community agencies or utility problems. Ask about third-party notification program that allows you to authorize another person to be notified if you receive a Final Notice for disconnection. | Website »
Ladies of Charity Emergency Assistance: 474-9348
Office and Thrift store 247-5790
120 W. Baxter Avenue, 37917
Emergency assistance, Mon.-Fri., 9:30 am – 1:30 pm. Provides clothing vouchers for adjacent thrift store and offers limited help with rent, utilities, and medications. Food pantry (three-day supply). Must have photo ID; also need documents showing Social Security numbers of everyone in household. Thrift store offers clothing, furniture, and household goods, Mon.-Sat., 9:30 am – 4 pm. Donations accepted during business hours. Donation pick-up available for furniture and other household items on Wednesdays and Saturdays. | Website »
LIHEAP: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (CAC): 637-6700
2247 Western Avenue, 37921 (street)
P.O. Box 51650, 37950-1650 (mailing)
Year-round program offers low-income households limited help with utility bills and home-delivered fuels. Eligibility requirements. Call for an appointment. | Website »
Peninsula Behavioral Health Independent Living Program: 374-7272
Division of Parkwest Medical Center, Member of Covenant Health
1451 Dowell Springs Road, Suite 101, 37909
Crisis assistance for persons currently receiving mental health services from a licensed provider. This is not a housing or residential program. Assistance includes rent deposits; utilities deposits; medicines; GED testing; and, on a limited basis, eye exams and eyeglasses. Help is limited to once a year per person. Call for eligibility requirements. | Website »
Positively Living: 525-1540
1501 E. Fifth Avenue, 37917
Provides housing and care for homeless persons suffering with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, addiction or a physical disability. | Website »
Salvation Army: 525-9401
409 N. Broadway, 37917
Emergency Assistance Program helps with food, clothing, utilities and rental assistance (when funding is available). Serves low-income families and individuals, but must call for appointment. The Joy Baker Center assists battered and homeless women and their children with shelter, meals, and counseling. Transitional housing program provides intensive case management, employment, housing assistance, meals, rental assistance and transportation (when funding is available) for homeless persons. | Website »
Samaritan Place: 684-1880
Program of Catholic Charities of East TN, Inc.
3009 Lake Brook Boulevard, 37909
Temporary emergency housing for seniors, 60+. | Website »
Serenity: 971-4673
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
P.O. Box 3310, 37927
Adult women’s long-term, residential addiction recovery program. | Website »
Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee: 522-7273
A service of Helen Ross McNabb Center 24-hour crisis hotline for victims of sexual assault to access forensic nursing and information. On-site advocacy, therapy, education and outreach. Serving 10 counties in East Tennessee. | Website »
Volunteer Ministry Center: 524-3926
511 N. Broadway, 37917
The Resource Center, open Mon. – Fri., 7 am – 5 pm, offers meals, shower and laundry facilities, case management, life-skills classes, and more for homeless persons enrolled in VMC program to seek permanent housing. Referrals made through the CHAMP process. The Bush Family Refuge (673-0235), open Mon.-Fri., 9:30 am – 12 pm and 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm, offers CHAMP assessments for individuals who are literally homeless; 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 housing for women age 18+. Private rooms, shared bathrooms; communal living room and kitchen facilities. Program fees. Must fill out application and complete an in-person interview. | Website »