Chambliss Center for Children is joining forces with Northeast Tennessee-based nonprofit Isaiah 117 House to provide a living space for children in state custody who are awaiting a foster placement.
Inspired by her own fostering experience, Ronda Paulson founded Isaiah 117 House in Elizabethton in 2017.
“When the state removes children from their homes, they are typically taken to offices while case mangers make calls to arrange a foster placement,” says Paulson. “This can be overwhelming, frightening and traumatic.
“The Isaiah 117 House provides an inviting, comforting place for children as they await placement. A group of loving, trained volunteers care for the child while his or her assigned case worker contacts potential foster families.
“The house is stocked with clean clothes, healthy snacks, toys, movies, snuggly blankets and more to help make the process of entering foster care a little less stressful for both the child and their case worker.”
Chambliss Center for Children will be converting the current Mary Rhoda Porter Administrative Building on their main campus into the Isaiah 117 House at Chambliss Center for Children. Additional Isaiah 117 Houses have been established in northeast Tennessee and Indiana, with the closest location under construction in Bradley County.
Chambliss Center for Children and Isaiah 117 House will hold a kick-off event in January and continue building community awareness and fundraising before beginning the renovation project later in 2021.
Source: Chambliss Center for Children