GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF — After several early-season freezing days, a Sumner County shelter said the cold has exposed a growing crisis for people with no safe place to stay.
Deborah Alston, founder of the Stay Warm Shelter in Gallatin, went before the Gallatin City Council last week, asking for help and to explain their situation. She said the shelter and its warming center are reaching a breaking point.
Alston and her husband launched the shelter 11 years ago to give people experiencing homelessness a place to go whenever temperatures drop below 32 degrees. The operation relies on six staff members in January and February, but for the rest of the year, it is only the couple and whatever volunteers they can find.
When a cold snap hit this week, the warming center couldn’t open.
“I put some in hotels, took care of the ones I needed to take care of that called me for help,” Alston said. “But other than that, we should’ve had the warming center open if they had the volunteers to do it.”
She said plans for rotating volunteers have repeatedly fallen apart.
“When it came to the volunteers, the volunteers didn’t show up like they promised to help,” she said.
Funding is another major obstacle. Alston said the shelter receives no financial support from the city or county, and the lack of consistent resources makes running both the shelter and a warming center difficult.
“We need funding from the city. They want it to be a nonprofit, we are a nonprofit, but a nonprofit can’t run if they don’t get any funds. That’s our biggest hurdle,” she said.
Alston told council members the shelter survives because of a yearly donation from the United Way, community contributions, and “pulling from my retirement savings.” She said her family has already withdrawn thousands of dollars to meet the need over the years.
She and a small group of advocates continue to serve people across the county, including volunteer Regina Davis.
“I have ministered to the homeless because I’m a recovering addict,” Davis said.
Alston said speaking publicly about the challenges was long overdue.
“In 11 years, I never addressed it. The camel's back broke. Let me go up here and let it be what it is and just tell them,” she said.
Despite the strain, she said she intends to keep helping those who come to her for support.
Advocates said they hope city and county leaders — and the broader community — will step up to support the only shelter and warming center in Sumner County.
“I still use my money to put into the shelter because I believe anything that you believe in, you need to invest in,” Alston said.
NewsChannel 5 has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment, but has not received a response due to the holiday.
Anyone wishing to donate to the Stay Warm Shelter or to assist people experiencing homelessness in Sumner County can send contributions through Unlimited Potential CDC, the shelter’s fiscal partner.
Please specify it is for the “Stay Warm Shelter” or “Homeless” on all donations.
Mailing Address:
Unlimited Potential CDC
260 E. Winchester St.
Gallatin, TN 37066
Digital Giving:
• Cash App: $UPCDC
• Venmo: @UPCDC
• Givelify: UPCDC
For questions or confirmation of donations, contact:
Email: 7ddmministry@gmail.com
This story was reported by reporter Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Aaron and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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