Murfreesboro Cold Patrol was originally set in place as an effort to "patrol" Murfreesboro during the coldest parts of the year in an effort to look out for and protect our most vulnerable homeless friends from exposure-related injuries and death. This patrol occurs whenever the Coldest Nights emergency shelter is forecasted to be open (when temperatures reach “emergency” levels, which is when the
weather is forecasted to drop to below 30 degrees). Who we look for includes folks with severe alcohol/drug problems, severe health issues, mental health issues, folks recently released from jail, newcomers, and even registered sex offenders. and make sure they are aware of and have the opportunity to get into warm shelter whenever it is available. When they choose to not come in, we make an effort to provide them with the resources they need to survive the night (such as socks, hats, sleeping bags, tents, food, propane, etc.). Last winter we encountered 3 individuals during single digit weather that, apart from our intervention, would not have survived the night (one of those individuals is six months clean and sober and doing fantastic as a result of those encounters)! "Cold Patrol" is really just a catchy name for a service we provide the community in the winter, but don't be deceived by the name. We, along with a great group of friends who are committed to making a positive impact in our community, are working hard year round to make sure these most vulnerable members of our community have the resources they need to survive living outdoors and are introduced to opportunities available to them to achieve measurable, positive change (friends being the most important of those resources)! If you are concerned for an individual this winter or in any season and would like for someone to see about his or her well-being, please don't hesitate to call us! We will be glad to go introduce ourselves and see how we can help. That helps!! Pray with us that every person in our community has the opportunity to stay warm this winter and that the people we come in contact with have the opportunity to be treated as human and loved well through their most difficult struggles all year long!
