Blount County Chamber Foundation Partners with Two NonProfits Dedicated to Giving Young People an Independent Life

April 19, 2010

(Maryville, TN) - Children and young adults are getting a hand up thanks to help from the Blount County Chamber Foundation. Special Opps and Kingdom Design Ministries, two of the Chamber Foundation's newest partners, are forwarding their missions for young people with guidance from the Blount County Chamber Foundation.

Special Opps offers vocational and employment training for young adults with disabilities. The first program being offered is Special Growers, a gardening program established at John Weston Sr. Memorial Food Garden on Home Avenue. "The Foundation enables us to stay focused on our mission of helping disabled young adults gain valuable work experience versus dedicating time to administrative activities by providing value added back-office services," says Special Opps Executive Director Kent Davis. "The biggest advantage is that the Foundation enabled us to get started much quicker and enabled us to receive donations."

In its second growing season, Special Opps has an aggressive plan to build above ground growing beds and a greenhouse at Weston Gardens. "Ultimately, we want the program to provide year round employment opportunities for young adults leaving their high school special education programs," says Davis.

"This new partner is focusing on an issue near and dear to our hearts," says Blount County Chamber Foundation Chair Sharon Hannum. "Special Opps, through programs like Special Growers, is providing workforce development for a highly overlooked population. This program gives special needs young people job specific skills."

The Blount County Chamber Foundation provides services to assist non-profits until they can establish the infrastructure to operate independently. "The Blount County Chamber Foundation works on the details so nonprofit organizations can work to help people," says Hannum. "In effect, the Foundation becomes the support staff managing paperwork so nonprofit volunteers can be on the frontlines doing good work for our community."

The partnership has come in handy for Kingdom Design Ministries (KDM). "With stress off the business component of our mission, we've been able to forge ahead by remodeling rooms for children with special needs," says KDM Interior Designer Missy Johnson. The remodels are enormously helpful, especially to families such as Carla and Mike Mund. KDM remodeled the couple's Louisville home to include a handicap accessible bathroom for their 11-year-old son, Jimmy who has cerebral palsy. "It has given Jimmy independence that wasn't there before, says Carla Mund. "The great thing is he can get into the tub on his own. KDM installed a side-opening bathtub that our church had purchased. They also installed a wall-mount sink for Jimmy and decorated his room. The décor is beautiful."

"Our work has a purpose every day," says Blount County Chamber Foundation Chair, Sharon Hannum. "We are delighted to help nonprofit partners reach goals by working quietly in the background on their behalf."

The mission of the Blount County Chamber Foundation is to meet educational, charitable, scientific and literary needs in Blount County. Services include accepting tax-deductible donations and allocating them among emerging nonprofit organizations with a mission in-line with the Foundation's mission, managing online giving, credit card transactions, accounting and audits. Additionally, Foundation- sponsored seminars and workshops equip non-profit staff with valuable skills. "The Foundation has been a wonderful resource," says Johnson. "The Foundation truly cares about what happens in our community."

The Blount County Chamber Foundation is part of the Blount Partnership which include the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Board and Smoky Mountain Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information on the Blount County Chamber Foundation call (865) 983-2241 or visit www.blountfoundation.com.