Metro Office of Homeless Services, Local Providers Provide Winter Storm Response By the Numbers

The Office of Homeless Services (OHS), in coordination with the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), partnered with nonprofits and service organizations from across Metro Nashville to provide critical outreach, shelter, and care to over a thousand people experiencing homelessness during Winter Storm Fern in Nashville.

"This winter storm was a community-wide event, but it proved to be especially dire for our unsheltered population," said OHS Director April Calvin. "We are thankful for partners like the Salvation Army and the Office of Emergency Management, opening doors to ensure that we could provide housing for every individual seeking refuge from the elements. While our focus remains on long-term housing solutions, I was honored to witness such swift, steady emergency shelter operations seamlessly carried out by Tytiauna Ruffin, OHS Emergency Manager."

OHS' response to the storm started well in advance of the winter weather. Overnight on Thursday, January 22, OHS joined 120 volunteers to both conduct the annual Point-in-Time Count for Nashville/Davidson County and provide critical cold weather supplies and shelter information to people experiencing homelessness.

Multiple teams from the OHS, OEM, the Nashville Fire Department (NFD), the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), and partner agencies conducted cold patrols throughout the county during the storm. Teams checked areas where people who are unhoused tend to stay and made wellness checks, offered people transportation to local shelters, provided winter kits with essential supplies, and connected them to additional resources.

OHS moved their normal winter weather overflow shelter to a 24/7 operation and stood up an additional overflow shelter in partnership with the Salvation Army to ensure all unhoused members of the community had access to a warm shelter with services provided on site. More than 1,400 people received shelter nightly at the two OHS overflow shelters, the Nashville Rescue Mission, Room in The Inn, and Launch Pad. People experiencing homelessness received real-time text alerts with information on when and how to access available shelter. WeGo Public Transit and Mobility Solutions, as well as emergency responders, provided free transportation to shelter sites throughout the storm response. Once at the shelters, guests had access to services on site from medical and behavioral health professionals, had access to donations of emergency supplies (hats, gloves, clothing, shoes, hygiene supplies, etc.), were provided some 8,000 meals by World Central Kitchen, Mercy Chefs, and more.

OHS outreach teams also worked alongside OEM and the Red Cross to provide services and information to people experiencing homelessness who came to one of the three warming centers opened during the storm for all residents in need of a warm place to stay.

In total, OHS has provided 46 total nights of shelter since the start of winter in November 2025.