By Vivian Shipe
KNOXVILLE, TN — She’s THAT kind of leader. Brilliant, passionate about the livelihood of others, and willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Keira Wyatt, Executive Director of C.O.N.N.E.C T. Ministries, sits on numerous boards across Knoxville. Wyatt has been honored and awarded by state and government officials, sits shoulder to shoulder at the table with leaders from across the country, and yet, when needed, she will strap on an apron and feed the hungry masses, boldly lead a prayer procession across Knoxville, or wash the feet of the most vulnerable; all the while working to find resources to help them get on their feet to have a better life. Wyatt’s organization has been in service to the people for almost 20 years. Her willingness to share what is in the store house with others is what led her organization to BE the storehouse for the warming centers supplies in January when Knoxville was covered in 10 inches of snow and ice.
When the call went out to open warming centers that would end up holding an average of over 300 people each night for over a week, the Knoxville community rose up and answered the call. City officials were amazed at the number of supplies that came from the citizens of Knoxville. As the needed supplies were gathered, C.O.N.N.E.C.T. Ministries became the hub as churches, organizations and individuals dropped off box after box of items that would be needed to care for the unhoused in the snow that would come and stay around longer than forecasted. It was a true grass roots effort by the people of Knoxville, and a race against time to get the items to the centers which had opened early ahead of the impending snow. At C.O.N.N.E.C.T. simple handmade charts were made and hung on the walls, and as items came in, they were divided up among the centers, and shipped out the door. Over and over the process was repeated, with new lists made as calls repeatedly came in from around the city.
As fast as deliveries were made to the building, they were distributed to the different warming centers: coats to Care Cuts, blankets, underwear, socks, gloves, hats toiletries, and sleeping bags were among the many items delivered to Cokesbury, Vestal, and Magnolia warming centers. From one end of Knoxville to the other, the supplies were delivered. Even during the days when the temps barely rose high enough to receive more items, CONNECT opened up and distributed the much-needed replacement items to drivers of SUVS and trucks, able to pick up and replenish the sites and people that were found in need. It wasn’t an issue that needed great thought, it’s what they do and have always done at C.O.N.N.E.C.T.
An established organization of great integrity, well respected in the community, the organization is a referral network of organizations willing to serve people like the unhoused who, but for the grace and mercy of the people of Knoxville, would have died, as some did, in the frigid cold of January. As the warm weather returns for a moment, C.O.N.N.E.C.T. is still continuing to be a storehouse for items needed to serve the homeless. After all, the first day of spring is still months away.
Located at 3615 Martin Luther King Avenue in Knoxville, 865-851-8005, more information can be found on their website at http://www.connectministries.net.
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