NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As temperatures across Middle Tennessee soar into the triple digits, Nashville officials are ramping up efforts to protect the city’s most vulnerable residents.
The Nashville Office of Homeless Services has activated heat patrols. That includes teams of volunteers canvassing areas where unhoused individuals typically gather. Their mission is to distribute cold water, cooling towels, and provide critical resources to help people escape the dangerously high heat.
According to OHS, the teams are part of a coordinated response with the Office of Homeless Services, which on Sunday, June 22, handed out:
- 361 bottles of water
- 81 bus passes
- 77 bottles of bug repellent
- 36 bottles of sunscreen
- 84 cooling towels
Several organizations have opened their doors or mobilized outreach teams to help those in need, including:
- Nashville Rescue Mission – 24/7 shelter, meals, and showers (Bus #52B)
- Room in the Inn – Showers, lunch tickets, and day shelter access (Bus #8)
- CCF Resource Hub – Day shelter and services, open until 5 PM on extreme heat days (Bus #4)
- Shower the People – Showers, food bags, laundry, and day shelter (Bus #56)
- Open Table Nashville – Outreach with bottled water, towels, sunscreen, and mobile support
- People Loving Nashville - Mondays, 5-7 p.m. on Gay Street
Even the Nashville Public Library is stepping in—branches offer air conditioning, restrooms, water fountains, and charging stations for phones and devices.
OHS will continue to work closely with the Office of Emergency Management to determine the need for additional supportive resources during the extreme heat temperatures.
September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”
- Rhori Johnston
