An altruistic effort by EPB, the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition and the city of Chattanooga has raised $67,295 to fund the coalition’s Flexible Housing Fund, which helps those experiencing homelessness secure permanent housing.
EPB began planning Connect For Good last summer to rally community support for the needs identified in Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s One Chattanooga plan, which aims to address housing security in the city, among other gaps.
The Flexible Housing Fund provides resources for back rent, utility payments, rent payments, application fees and other needs.
Coalition Executive Director Mike Smith says the organization is grateful for the generosity of Chattanoogans. “We received gifts from $5 to $5,000 to help solve homelessness in our community. Thank you to each person and organization that donated, spread the word about Connect For Good and raised awareness about the issue of homelessness in Chattanooga.”
Kelly says the donations will support hundreds of residents in need as they “get back on their feet.”
“Homelessness is not a challenge we can solve overnight, but by working together on short- and long- term solutions, we’re already starting to curb the rise in homelessness we’ve seen here since the pandemic.”
The coalition continues to accept donations at homelesscoalition.org.
Chatt. Neighborhood Enterprise promotes small loan program
Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise is working to educate local businesses about its Small Dollar Loan program through the Community Loan Center of Southeast Tennessee.
Operated by CNE, the Community Loan Center of Southeast Tennessee allows area employers that enroll to offer their employees affordable, low-interest loans of up to $1,000 at no cost to the business.
Unlike payday loans, which typically saddle borrowers with recurring fees and an annual percentage rate of up to 400%, the CLC’s small dollar loans come with a fixed 18% interest rate and 12 months to repay with no prepayment penalties.
Monthly repayments are automatically deducted from the employee’s paycheck.
Companies in the Chattanooga area already enrolled in the program include Carta, Sportsbarn, Kelly Automotive, the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce and Top Flight, INC.
Employees also have the opportunity to access free financial counseling to help them pay off debt.
The Community Loan Center of Southeast Tennessee is a member of the Community Loan Center franchise. Since 2011, CLC has focused on forming partnerships with local nonprofits that will offer affordable loans to their communities.
CLC’s network has grown to include 23 lenders across 11 states. The loan center made its 100,000th loan in October.
For more information and to enroll in the Small Dollar Loan program, contact CNE business development specialist Michael Walker at mwalker@cne.org or 423 432-9566.
Scenic City Clay Arts seeks executive director
Scenic City Clay Arts is searching for a new executive director.
The person who fills the role will be responsible for the leadership and financial management of the organization and its staff, programs and operations.
The individual will also be responsible for guiding the direction of SCCA through the development and implementation of strategic plans made with the board of directors.
“Scenic City Clay Arts has experienced exceptional growth over the last two years. We need a strong leader to help plan and navigate the future of our organization,” says SCCA board president Zack Ridder. “We’re looking for a big-picture thinker who’s passionate about arts education, nonprofit management and maintaining a positive community-centered environment in the studio.”
The best candidates will have broad experience in nonprofit leadership and management, in-depth knowledge of fundraising strategies and solid budget management skills, adds Ridder.
Interested candidates may submit a resume to board@sceniccityclayarts.org.