Community Service

The United Fund tab lists the various agencies supported by United Fund. Descriptions of several of these agencies will be listed below to help the community better understand the purpose of these agencies.

Avalon Center

In May of 1984 Avalon Center (formerly Battered Women, Inc.) offered shelter out of a one bedroom trailer, housing one family at a time. In May of 2004 that one bedroom trailer turned into a two story house that shelters 300 women and children every year.

But that is not all!!! Over the last 20 years, Avalon Center has also added the following program components:

Sexual Assault Crisis Center
Children's Program (for the smallest victims of violence)
School Violence Prevention Programs (for Kindergarten through 12th Grade)
Abuse Intervention Classes for Perpetrators
Court Advocacy
Professional Counseling

Services are provided 24 hours a day 365 days a year and they are free and confidential. Avalon Center will serve 3,000 victims of domestic violence and sexual assault this year.

Four C's Foundation

Four C's Foundation provides scholarships to graduating seniors who are in financial need and are furthering their education by attending a post secondary school. These students must have demonstrated their academic ability over their four years of high school. They must, also, prove to be high caliber students so that they will be able to do high-quality post secondary work. This year, the Four C's Committee assisted with the selection of over twenty-five scholarships.

This is from a thank you note from recipient Erin.

"Thank you so much for the $500 scholarship you presented to me on graduation. This scholarship will be so helpful to me with the expense of college. I am deeply honored to be given this award in memory and honor of Mr. Elmer Atkinson. Their family has meant a lot to me and my Mother's family over the years, as he was a dear friend of my great grandmother. I am sincerely grateful to have received this scholarship."

Sincerely,
Erin

Stephens Center

The Stephens Center offers support and help for parents and children to learn together. Services include home visiting, group and community education programs to help parents provide their children with necessary guidance and instruction to grow, as well as love and support for providing discipline without anger and violence. The center's programs are geared toward an effort to build a stronger community with stronger families.

Hilltoppers, Inc.

...story of success

When Steven Monaco graduated from high school and needed residential placement, the only place available to him was in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, far from his family and friends. He attended a day services program there at H.A.T.S. and was basically unhappy. He did not enjoy doing contract work or having to be at the day center every day. He lived in foster care and though it was like family, it was not his family. He longed to return to Cumberland County.

In March of this year, Hilltoppers, Inc. was able to help him fulfill this wish. Steven now has his own apartment in Crossville and is close to his grandmother whom he loves very much. He has qualified staff to assist him in all his needs and he chooses what he wants to do each day rather than the boredom he experienced in Goodlettsville. He now comes to the Day Service program when he chooses or he shops, goes to yard sales, goes bowling, or visits his grandmother. He is not restricted by someone else's schedule and he has ready access to his family that means so much to him. He has adjusted admirably and really enjoys being "home". Welcome back, Steven.

GOOD SAMARITANS DIRECT SERVICES

    Over the years, Good Samaritans Direct Services have been responsible for assisting better than 15,000 families and 35,000 individuals with food, clothing, shelter, help with rent, utilites, medications, bus tickets, gasoline, and other special needs, along with referrals to our Social Service programs where barriers are addressed. There is a major emphasis on seeking ways to assist clients through a "hand up" rather than a hand out--to make the clients self-reliant rather than dependent.
     Staff meets with clients requesting aid, listen to their circumstances and situations, gather all necessary informantion, and make verificatoins. They communicate with local churches, businesses and other agencies on a client's behalf.
     The ultimate goal at Good Samaritans in the Direct Service Department, is to "make a difference" whenever possible.