Chattanooga Rescue Mission eyes expansion to help meet needs of fastest-growing segment of area homeless

Donald Baer, chaplain and administrator of the Chattanooga Rescue Mission, stands on the unfinished third floor while speaking about how the mission needs to raise $1-million to replace the leaky roof and allow the TEOS (temporary emergency overnight shelter) to double or possibly triple capacity by building out the third floor of the facility to house more homeless overnight. The mission currently can house 60 people per night and they are currently at capacity with requests for a place for women with children to sleep coming in daily.

By Yolanda Putman March 10, 2015 2 min read

Women and children make up the fastest-growing homeless population in Chattanooga, according to Donald Baer, director of the Chattanooga Rescue Mission.

Officials at the mission, a faith-based outreach that serves the homeless, say they answer more than a dozen calls a week from women and families looking for emergency shelter.

But because the shelter was designed to accommodate more men, many have to be referred elsewhere.

By summer 2017 the mission wants to be in a better position to help.

By the numbers

* 69 homeless families in 11-county region * 635 homeless adults and children in 11 county region Source: Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition’s 2015 point-in-time count of the homeless