Madison Warming Shelter
The Beat is operating a Warming Shelter based in Madison, TN out of Madison Church of Christ’s Benevolence Center from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on days when the temperatures are 40 or below.
For the second winter in a row, The Beat is focused on keeping our local Madison unhoused community warm during the coldest days. We are currently running a Warming Shelter out of Madison Church of Christ’s Benevolence Center every day that the weather is 40 or below from 5:00pm - 8:00pm. But we need your help to keep it successful!
Each day our crew plans a menu based on donated and reclaimed food to provide the community with a hot meal, often two if we have enough for seconds. The Warming Shelter is set up like a free restaurant, with our volunteers taking orders and running food out to customers. The TV is on, often playing sports or a movie, and the space is open for the community to make themselves comfortable.
Everyone is sent out with a To Go food bag and any other aid we are able to provide. We chose these hours to help cover a gap between sunset and the city’s Overnight Shelter which opens at 7:00pm each day that it is 32 degrees or below. The Beat was able to negotiate a shuttle bus pickup at 8:00 to take our community direct to this Overnight Shelter if they choose to go.
There are endless ways to engage but we are in most need of volunteers at the shelter. A “full shift” would be arriving around 4:15 to help with setup and staying until about 8:30 to clean up after close but we welcome any amount and any level of participation. If you want to provide food we suggest side dishes (think easy comfort foods or veggies) or baked goods. Any monetary donations that are sent through Venmo or GiveButter go direct to purchasing coffee fixings (very important) and any foods and snacks needed to supplement donations.