Our volunteer instructors are the backbone of our program. They teach a variety of subjects from professional development to how to change a tire.
INSTRUCTORS
Every woman in our program is matched with a trained mentor to serve as her personal support and encouragement source.
MENTORS
We love celebrating! Throughout the year, we’ll celebrate holidays, birthdays and graduation, but mostly the achievement of our ladies.
CELEBRATIONS
Overcoming Darkness: From Addiction to Redemption
Opioids, commonly known as prescription painkillers, can lead to serious consequences when misused. In Knox County alone, there have been 219 suspected drug overdose deaths as of September 2024. According to the Knox and Anderson Counties Drug-Related Death Report from the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, synthetic opioids were among the top five drugs involved in drug-related deaths in 2023. Amanda Roberts’ Struggle: Experiencing Painkillers and Prison Amanda Roberts, a participant in the Hand UP for Women program, describes opioids as the most harmful drug, sharing her experience of using them for nearly a decade. She took these powerful painkillers for about 10 years. “It [opioids] takes the life out of you,” Roberts shared, “After three days of taking it [...]
Advisory Council Advantage: Two Members Propel Hand UP for Women
Asking a friend for help in a time of need can seem like a no-brainer. For Hand UP for Women, an advisory council serves a similar purpose, but on a larger level. This behind-the-scenes group plays a pivotal role in guiding and enhancing the nonprofit organization. Comprising experienced professionals and community leaders, the council offers invaluable insights and strategic direction in medicine, church community engagement, media relations, board recruitment, and nonprofit management. Advisory council members help to shape Hand UP’s mission and goals. Gary Duncan and Newman Bankston are two members of the council who help amplify Hand UP for Women’s impact on the staff, participants and community. Contact us if you’re interested in joining our advisory council. Building Strong [...]
Christina Duncan’s Story: From Federal Prison to Hope for Pardon
Christina Duncan’s world was upside down. At 25 years old, she was imprisoned at Alderson Federal Prison in West Virginia for three and a half years. Thanks to completing a residential drug and alcohol program, she knocked some time off her sentence. “I always say that was probably one of the best experiences of my life because that’s what turned my life completely around,” shared Christina Duncan, a 2015 Hand UP for Women graduate. She was locked up for federal drug conspiracy charges, something she doesn’t deny. “My life before that [going to prison] was so crazy and so filled with chaos. It’s hard to see the entire circumstances while we’re in the midst and it was a breath of [...]
Why Hand UP for Women Works
Hand UP for Women, a 501(c)(3) non-profit has grown, developed and matured with time and love since its inception in 2001. The Knox County Association of Baptists assisted with the organization’s startup, but the real momentum came when Eva Pierce was chosen as Executive Director. The organization began serving women in 2003. When Diane Gross was attending a Baptist church in East Tennessee, she learned about the organization and felt drawn to the program. At the time, Diane was a single mom who had been through challenging years in her own life and she saw many parallels between the women Hand UP was helping and in her own life. Diane had safety nets between her family and church family and [...]
Program Extension Builds Camaraderie and Enhances Knowledge
Expanding a program can be daunting, often seen as both a financial and time-consuming investment. Yet, for the dedicated team of staff and instructors at Hand UP for Women, extending the program from one year to a year and a half felt like the natural next step in transforming women’s lives. Program Evolvement Over the Years For more than a decade, Karen Mills has been the driving force behind Hand UP for Women’s program coordination. Alongside Eva Pierce, the executive director, they review curricula together. “When I started it was a year-long program,” When Mills started, the program was one year, but the said classes have evolved in tandem with the transformation of the women they serve. Current classes include [...]