Operation Inasmuch

Grainger County is a large, rural county in East Tennessee. With all of its positives, Grainger County has many of the problems of rural counties. In 2010, reports showed that nearly two-thirds of Grainger residents commute to cities in surrounding counties such as Morristown and Knoxville for work. The county lacks transportation resources, water and wastewater access, and recreation opportunities. In 2020, Grainger was recognized as one of 24 counties in the state at risk of becoming economically distressed. During conversations with local pastors, non-profit personnel, the police chaplain, and the church associational director about the community’s needs, the same topic seemed to continue to come up: Temporary or Emergency Housing. With individuals who pass through Grainger County, homeless in the area, and emergencies that arise within their population, Grainger County does not have a current solution to meet these very temporary and emergent needs. Operation Inasmuch seeks to create a Warming House to meet these specific needs.