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After hiatus, there's now a homeless shelter just for women and children in Nashville

Nashville Rescue Mission opened new Women's Campus on Thursday
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A growing number of women and children in Nashville don't know where they are going to sleep at night.

Because of this, the Nashville Rescue Mission just made room for more beds. Families moved into the brand-new campus in Germantown on Thursday.

"It's been well planned, well executed, and just seeing the looks on the faces of the women when they walk in the door here, and they say 'wow,' that really speaks to our heart," said Sam Siple, vice president of Development & Marketing at the Nashville Rescue Mission.

All in one day, the Mission relocated guests to the new women's campus. The 71,880-square-foot building was built over the last two years.

"It's just the atmosphere is bigger, better, from where we come from," said Nanette Gilbert, a guest.

During the construction, women and kids stayed at the Main Campus where men slept.

Thursday morning they boarded buses and their belongings were trucked to the new 348-bed shelter.

Compared to the previous shelter, the new building has almost twice as many beds, showers, classrooms, and double the number of family rooms.

"I think people, ultimately, they want to be productive, they want to be self-sustaining, they just need some help, so we help with those immediate needs shelter, food, clothing, hygiene products, but we're also trying to give them the life skills they need," Siple said.

Last year, the Mission helped 1,800 women and nearly 440 kids.

The project cost $24 million. It was funded all by donations.

Santa Train stops feel especially impactful in wake of Hurricane Helene

There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.

-Lelan Statom