New Shelter opens doors

In the winter conditions that have seen one man freeze to death, the opening of the new facility will help to fill a need to those who are homeless and terminally ill.

Welcome Home of Chattanooga is the first facility of its kind in the Chattanooga area and only the second in the entire state of Tennessee.

"We recognized a need in our community for people who have a terminal illness and have no where to go for end of life care. They might not have a home or family," said Sherry Campbell Executive Director of Welcome Home Chattanooga.
 
A lot of people came together to get this facility together, including Blue Cross Blue Shield who donated 360,000 dollars to support this great organization over the next 3 years and a number of volunteers did everything from paint to adapt rooms.
 
Chris Guajardo said, "People that couldn’t come over here and paint donated money to buy things that were needed.  They donated time.  It really just took off.  It was just like wild fire."
 
Welcome Home Chattanooga will be able to serve 3 to 4 residents at a time and says they will be more than a hospice for people who need their care.
 
"We are not going to be a hospice.  We are going to be the home," said Campbell.