How the Salvation Army in Knoxville helps people in Knox County
The Salvation Army, which has worked in Knoxville since 1899, runs almost all of its Knox County programs from one building at 409 N. Broadway. The building holds the emergency shelter, transitional housing, a shelter for women and children leaving domestic violence, and the office where people apply for emergency assistance. Anyone in Knox County can call (865) 525-9401 to ask about the shelter or to find out how to get help with a utility bill, food, or other basic needs. This page explains what each of those programs does, who it is meant for, and what to have ready before you call.
- AREA COVERAGE NOTE: The Knoxville office is also the headquarters for a wider area that the Salvation Army calls the Knoxville Area Command. It oversees the Salvation Army's local centers, called corps, in Maryville and Sevierville, and it also serves Anderson, Campbell, and Cocke counties. The programs described here are the ones run in Knoxville, at what the Salvation Army calls the Thompson Center of Hope. People who live in one of the other five counties can find the right office to contact further down the page.
Emergency shelter and housing at the Thompson Center of Hope
The shelter at 409 N. Broadway takes in single men, single women, and families with children when space is available. Residents may get daily meals, one-on-one help from a case manager, and staff on site around the clock, which depends on what the shelter can provide at the time. The Salvation Army calls its approach Housing First, which means a stay in the emergency shelter is meant to be short while staff decide what each person needs next.
Some residents may be able to move straight from the shelter into an apartment in the community through a rapid rehousing program, with support continuing after they move in. Others who need more structure may be offered transitional housing on the same campus. Residents in transitional housing are expected to work, help with chores, and stay sober. Staff in both programs may also help residents look for work and develop life skills, and anyone who wants spiritual support can ask for it.
Anyone who needs a bed can walk in to see if space if available or call (865) 525-9401, and there is no fee for the shelter. Shelters in Knoxville may fill up in cold weather, so it is better to call before making the trip. The name of the shelter confuses people, because older directories still call it Operation Bootstrap and the Salvation Army's own listing on findhelp calls its men's program Hope Manor. The Salvation Army's Knoxville website now uses the names emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, and transitional housing, so those are the words to use when you call.
Bridge to Home for people recovering from opioid use
Bridge to Home is a short-term program for people with an opioid use disorder who are trying to get into stable housing. The Salvation Army runs it together with The Gateway, the McNabb Center, and UT Medical Center. A participant may get help finding housing and help with their recovery from those partners at the same time, instead of going to each one separately. Anyone interested should call the Knoxville office and ask how to be considered.
Help paying a utility bill or getting food and household items
The Salvation Army's emergency assistance program in Knoxville is for low-income households whose income does not cover a sudden expense. The Salvation Army says it may help with a utility bill, groceries, fuel, transportation, clothing, furniture, and other household items, and there is no charge for any of it. Whether a family gets money toward a bill depends on the funding the office has at the time. A case worker may also refer people to other agencies, and when the Salvation Army's own funds are short that referral is often the most useful result of the visit.
People who need food may apply online through the Salvation Army's SAHelp.me portal, which sends the application to the Knoxville office based on ZIP code, or by calling (865) 525-9401. It is better to apply early, before you run out of food, than to wait. Ask what to bring, because most agencies in Knox County that give out emergency help want to see a photo ID, proof of income, and the bill or shutoff notice. The Salvation Army's emergency assistance page at https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/Knoxville/emergency-assistance describes the program and links to the application with other pantries on the NHPB Knox County food pantry page.
Angel Tree gifts for children and seniors
Angel Tree matches children from birth through age 12, and adults 55 and older, with donors who buy them Christmas gifts. The Salvation Army does not guarantee items, so a family should not count on every item on the list. Families in Knox County sign up in person at 409 N. Broadway during a registration period in the fall, and the Salvation Army posts each year's dates on its Angel Tree page. A family that misses that period will usually have to wait until the next year.
Parents need to bring original documents, because photocopies are not accepted. That means a photo ID for the parent or guardian, a birth certificate for each child, and proof of income such as pay stubs or a benefits award letter. Custody papers are needed if they apply, and a mother expecting a baby before January 1 brings a note from her doctor with the due date. A family that has already signed up for Christmas help through another agency is not eligible.
Anderson and Campbell County families register at other sites in Oak Ridge and LaFollette rather than in Knoxville, and the same page lists those locations. Other Knoxville programs that give out toys or holiday meals are listed on the free Christmas help page for Knox County for any family that misses the Angel Tree deadline.
Summer camp and disaster response
The Knoxville office may be able to send children ages 7 to 17 to Camp Paradise Valley, a Salvation Army overnight camp in Burkesville, Kentucky, for a week in June or July. Parents start by filling out the interest form on the Knoxville summer camp page at https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/Knoxville/summer-camp-parents, and they should ask about the cost, since donations may cover it for local children.
After a fire, flood, or other disaster, the Knoxville Area Command may send out a truck that serves meals and drinks to the people affected and to first responders. The office may also hand out kits with cleaning supplies, bottled water, and donated goods. Anyone who needs that kind of help after a disaster can call the main number.
What is no longer offered at 409 N. Broadway
Two things people often expect at this address are not available, and knowing that in advance saves a wasted trip. The first is a thrift store, since the Salvation Army Family Store at this address closed in 2017 and the building was turned into offices for its social services. There is no Salvation Army store in Knox County to shop at or to get a voucher for.
A case worker in the emergency assistance program may still be able to arrange free clothing or furniture, which depends on what is available. The office also posts a notice that it is not accepting donated goods, so dropping items off is not an option either.
The second is rent, which the Salvation Army's own Knoxville pages do not list among the things the emergency assistance program helps with, even though many directories say it does. Anyone behind on rent should still ask the case worker, but should not count on it. The programs that do help with rent in the area, including the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, are covered on the page for rental assistance in Knoxville and Knox County.
The Salvation Army does not charge for emergency assistance or for a shelter bed. Anyone who is asked to pay a fee to get Salvation Army help should stop and call the main number instead.
Which office serves your county
The Salvation Army Knoxville Area Command serves six counties: Knox, Blount, Sevier, Anderson, Campbell, and Cocke. People in Blount County should contact the Maryville corps, and people in Sevier County should contact the Sevierville corps, since each one has its own office that handles emergency assistance. Both are listed with an address and phone number on the Salvation Army's Knoxville Area Command locations page at https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/Knoxville/locations.
Anderson, Campbell, and Cocke counties do not have a corps of their own, so people there should call the Knoxville number and ask which services are available where they live. Some directories list Salvation Army centers in Oak Ridge or LaFollette as if they were in Knox County, which is wrong. The Knoxville locations page does not list either town, so people in those areas should start with a call to Knoxville.
Getting to the Thompson Center of Hope and who else to call
The Salvation Army Knoxville Area Command is at 409 N. Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917, and the main phone number is (865) 525-9401. People can walk in or call to ask about the shelter or emergency assistance, but it is best to call first and confirm the hours before making the trip.
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