We Care Community Services has been serving the residents of Rhea County, just to the north of Chattanooga, for over 40 years providing emergency assistance – utility assistance, prescription assistance, rent, emergency housing, and more – for those that need it most.
What began as a small thrift center open only a few days a week, heated by a wood stove, has grown into a central provider of services for the community in a variety of ways.
Even throughout the pandemic, they never closed their doors and continued serving the area’s unhoused.
One of the recent success stories was completing their third tiny home to be used as homeless transitional housing.
“I think what makes it so special is that our small community came together in the most difficult of times and still put the needs of others as a priority,” said Laura Olmstead Richardson. “We already had our first resident, a single mom, that moved in at the end of February. We Care feels it is important to treat each individual with dignity and help them have a hand up to return to a state of stability while giving them hope and support.”
Among their many services are emergency housing shelter, affordable housing for formerly homeless mentally ill, operating their Thrift Center every day, fire and disaster vouchers, along with food assistance and counseling. And they plan on doing even more.
“Our goal is to continue serving those in need and expand into a community on property we already own to eliminate homelessness in an environment that fosters dignity and self-worth,” said Richardson. “We host one event a year, our charity golf tournament to expand and support our homeless services. 100% of all funds raised go directly to these programs. Support our golf tournament and shop at our thrift center that provides 78% of our organizations total budget.”
The Annual Charity Golf Tournament will be held Wednesday, April 27 at the Dayton Golf & Country Club (315 Payne Lane, Evensville, TN) with registration at 7:30 am and 11:30 am, tee off at 8:00 am and 1:00 pm. Register and Pay Online here.
Last year through the Charity Golf Tournament, they were able to replace the much needed roof on the Safe Haven Home and purchase the shell of the next tiny home to be utilized as homeless/transitional home in Dayton.
To learn more about We Care Community Services and how you can help support their mission, visit them on at wecaredayton.org, on Facebook with the We Care Thrift Center and the We Care Safe Haven Emergency / Transitional Housing as well as following them on Instagram.