Essential Items | Chattanooga Free Sto

What is the Chattanooga Free Store? It is a mutual aid organization located at 1701 Dodson Avenue, Suite C. The storefront is where anyone can access things like clothing, food, sexual health items, harm reduction supplies, and more, all for free and without having to show any form of ID. In order to access these same items elsewhere, you need money or an ID.

This local organization is a vital lifeline for community members in need. By expanding access to essential items, The Chattanooga Free Store is making a significant impact on the lives of those facing hardship.

With this grant, the Free Store will be able to increase its stock of essential items, ensuring that community members have consistent access to these necessities. By removing barriers to basic needs, the Free Store enables individuals and families to focus on other aspects of their lives, such as finding employment or pursuing education.

We commend The Chattanooga Free Store for their dedication to serving the community and congratulate them on this well-deserved $3,000 grant.

DuPont Elementary School Care Closet | Melody Hoffma

We are excited to announce that the UNFoundation has awarded a $1,000 grant to DuPont Elementary School!

Melody Hoffman, the school counselor, will use the grant to replenish the school’s Care Closet, which provides essential clothing and hygiene items to students in need. By addressing these basic needs, DuPont Elementary is creating a more equitable learning environment where all students can thrive.

DuPont Elementary is a Title I school serving a predominantly low-income population. The Care Closet is a vital resource for students who may not have access to essential items. With this grant, the school will be able to restock its supply of clothing, ensuring that every student has the clothing they need to feel confident and ready to learn.

We commend Melody Hoffman and the DuPont Elementary community for their dedication to supporting students’ overall well-being. This grant is a testament to their hard work and commitment to creating a brighter future for their students. Rock on, counselors and social workers. Y’all rule the school.

Operation Warm | Rainbow at Ridgeway

Winter officially started on December 21st. While you probably have a nice warm winter coat and boots, not everyone does. Enter Lindsey Butler, the Resident Services Coordinator for Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation at Ridgeway Apartments on the west side of Chattanooga. She saw a need and had the right partners to make it happen. Our $2,485 grant purchased 62 coats and 53 pairs of shoes for children who reside in the Ridgeway community through Operation Warm. They partner with community organizations such as Rainbow to use this gift (the coats and shoes are a really good deal) as a catalyst for community connection.

But that’s not all Lindsey wanted to accomplish. After receiving the items, kids were asked to write a letter to a child at St. Jude's spending the holidays in the hospital. Paying it forward as they say. Nice job, Lindsey.

Let's Get Warm | The Winter Joy Project

Nobody should be cold in the winter. Especially children. $1,600 buys a lot of socks. And scarves and hats. The Winter Joy Project is a nonprofit organization that creates packages of winter scarves, hats, and gloves to gift to children in need. Why? For Toni. Their mission is to honor Toni Parkes, a woman who believed in giving whenever she could, and left our world midway through 2020. Toni would have scarves and gloves on hand to give to any child in her neighborhood if she saw they were without.

During this pandemic the stress of contracting the coronavirus, let alone the flu, can be made just a little easier by having access to the tools we need to stay healthy. As the packages are created and distributed by volunteers through community organizations, rec centers, and churches, we create unity by being an active member of a community. Our Chattanooga community.

Forest Kindergarten: Winter Gear

Forest Kindergarten is an early childhood education model that allows children to learn in and through the natural environment. 20 kids at Red Bank Elementary are lucky enough to be a part of this phenomenon right now in its inaugural year. Similar to the original German model where 100% of class time is spent outdoors, this model is a bit different with 2.5 hours each day spend outside. While outside, students will have the opportunity to practice the content that has been taught in the classroom through their own exploration.

Now that you know what it is, I bet you're wondering how we helped? Winter gear. Waterproof gloves, wool socks, warm hats, gaiters. The UNFoundation, warming hearts and hands. 

Winter Gear for Calvin Donaldson

There are few things more important than a warm snuggly coat during the winter. We’re thrilled to support Maggie Rose as she helps to ensure students of Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy are bundled up during cold days. Our $1425 grant helps Ms. Rose, who’s been working directly with teachers at the school for eight years, purchase new and lightly used coats, hats, and gloves to give to the students. Though she begins collecting this gear in August, she continues through the winter to ensure as many students as possible are able to sport their new duds through the cold months. Through a simple gesture, students start and end their days at school warm, proud, and ready to learn. 

Photo Credit: Brick City Live