What is the Hospitality Hub?

Frequently Asked Questions

The Hospitality Hub works to help people exit homelessness. Located in downtown Memphis, the Hub campus is a safe, kind, and respectful environment that serves as a single point of entry to comprehensive support services for those experiencing homelessness. The Hub provides guests with the stabilizing resources they need, including temporary shelter, assistance acquiring identification, employment opportunities, and referrals to community partners.

Who does the Hub serve?

The Hub serves any individual experiencing homelessness.

What are the Hub’s hours?

The Hub welcomes any individual experiencing homelessness to meet with a case counselor and access services during weekdays, 8:30am-3:30pm. The Hub Hotel women’s shelter is open to guests 24/7, 365 days a year.

Why is a women’s shelter needed? Why not a men’s shelter?

In the past, women were considered to be a small percentage of the homeless population in Memphis. In 2018, the Hub provided support to 588 newly homeless women, comprising 37% of the city’s homeless population. At the time, only 6% of the shelter beds available were open to homeless women—and even fewer to female-identifying trans clients and/or those with children. The Hub Hotel was built to fill a gap in emergency shelters for women and their children.

What is the difference between shelter and housing?

A shelter provides those experiencing homelessness with temporary accommodations to prevent them from needing to sleep in places not meant for habitation. Housing is a secure and stable residence.

Who can stay at the Hub Hotel?

Anyone who identifies as female and their accompanying children. The Hub Hotel is a barrier-free shelter, which means that guests are not required to pay for shelter, participate in mandatory programming, or meet certain criteria in order to be sheltered.

How many people can stay at the Hub Hotel?

The Hub Hotel women’s shelter has 32 beds and 17 trundles available to women and their children who are experiencing homelessness.

How long can someone stay at the Hub Hotel?

There is no time limit for how long a guest can stay at the Hub Hotel. Individuals enter into homelessness and stay homeless for a number of reasons, all of which take time and resources to overcome. The Hub’s case counselors meet with guests regularly to provide support and resources needed to continue on their journey out of homelessness.

Hospitality Hub Fact Sheet

  • The Hospitality Hub was founded in 2007 by the Downtown Churches Association. The Hub’s mission is to connect people with the resources they need to exit homelessness.
  • The Hub serves all unhoused individuals who come to us, regardless of background.
  • The Hub’s core programs include:
    • Guest Services: Our team of experienced Case Counselors work closely with each

      guest to co-create individualized pathways out of homelessness: whether it’s finding a safe place to stay, getting a state ID or birth certificate, or connecting to a partner agency, our Case Counselors help each guest navigate their unique journey out of homelessness.

    • Hub Hotel: The Hub Hotel is the region’s first barrier-free emergency shelter for women. In addition to providing a trauma-informed physical space for guests to heal, the Hub Hotel’s 24/7 staff provides guests with intensive support to meet their immediate needs while they work towards permanent housing.
    • Hub Hall: Hub Hall is a transitional housing program for young adults aged 18-24. In a gorgeously appointed space, specifically designed for young adults, dedicated Youth Systems Navigators and Case Counselors work to empower guests in their transition from the experience of homelessness to independence.
    • Hub Studios: The Hub Studios provide trauma-informed temporary shelter for those for whom other shelter options are insufficient or non-existent. The Hub Studios fill critical gaps for couples, families with older children, and individuals with severe PTSD. They provide a safe place to stay while we work to help them secure permanent housing.
    • Street Outreach: We meet individuals where they are – in parks, underpasses, abandoned buildings or parking lots. Our Street Outreach Specialists are especially adept at building trusting relationships and provide on-the-go case management services to support the hardest cases in taking the right steps to get back on their feet.
    • Work Local: We partner with the City of Memphis Department of Public Works to clean up blight and provide temporary work opportunities for our guests. Program participants receive a daily stipend, lunch, and the opportunity for next-steps counseling.
  • ●  In any given week:
    • The Hub’s case counselors meet with 250+ individuals of all backgrounds experiencing

      homelessness

    • Hub Hotel shelters ~45 women and children
    • Street Outreach connects with 30+ individuals to offer resources
    • Work Local provides temporary fair-wage work opportunities for 80+ individuals
  • The Hub’s Executive Director is Kelcey Johnson. He has been serving homeless individuals in our community for over twenty years, first serving as the Hub’s Director of Operations before becoming the Hub’s Executive Director in 2018. He was recognized as supervisor of the year by the University of Memphis School of Social Work in 2018 and 2019.