$1.7M in federal funding given to Memphis Hospitality Hub

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Millions of dollars in federal funding has been granted to the Memphis Hospitality Hub. Congressman Steven Cohen (TN-09) helped bring the funding to the organization and made a visit to the Hub on Tuesday.

“Well, we’ve got a lot of homelessness in Memphis,” said Rep. Cohen.

Founded in 2007, the Hospitality Hub’s mission is to connect people with the resources they need to overcome homelessness.

Right now, there are an estimated 4,000 homeless people in Memphis.

“There’s an economic issue we have in Memphis, we are a poor city,” said Rep. Cohen. “We have a lot of people who don’t have jobs or lose their jobs, and their family problems.”

Annually, the Hub reaches thousands of people, providing guests with the resources they need, like a secure and stable residence with no time limit for how long they can stay.

“2,025 people a year come through and provide a great service,” Cohen added.

Congressman Cohen secured $1,700,000 in Federal Community Project Funding to power the Hub’s programming and services with hopes of securing another $1.7 million in the next budget.

Cohen says that the Hub sets a potential blueprint for addressing federal housing concerns.

“But it is a concept that we can try to approach with people in housing on the federal level to see if they’re interested, and they can come down and visit to see if they find it to be an appropriate model that can be expanded,” Cohen said.

While the Hub remains a staple in Shelby County to fight homelessness, it also provides other unique resources, such as emergency cooling, heat relief, and meal preparation.

“This is a place where people can come and get back on their feet and have a life,” Rep. Cohen said.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter!

Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2023 WMC. All rights reserved.