Just down the road from our Jackson Terminal office, in the heart of East Knoxville, Magnolia Ministries works tirelessly towards their goals – goals that share the same heart as Help You Dwell. Goals geared toward helping folks reclaim things in their lives, and promote peace in the midst of chaos. The goal of Magnolia Ministries, in the words of Emily Hurley, the Magnolia Women’s Center coordinator, is “to meet women where they are and walk in relationships through all of the struggles and victories of life.”
While their office is located on the second floor of Likewise Coffee, Magnolia Ministries runs the Magnolia Women’s Center just a few blocks away in the heart of East Knoxville and serves as a low-barrier day center that provides a sanctuary for vulnerable and exploited women in our community and is a vital lifeline and resource for women.
Emily explained that their system is thoughtfully designed to guide women through three essential phases as they reclaim aspects of everyday life: identification, stability, and sustainability. This journey begins with building trust, taking courageous steps toward case management and then beginning to work their way to obtaining vital documents like state IDs, birth certificates, and social security cards, which paves the way to access to jobs, healthcare, housing, counseling, and more.
The Magnolia Women’s Center offers a nurturing community that uplifts and supports each individual that passes through their door. Here, basic needs are met and women have access to essential services such as first aid care, nap rooms, laundry facilities, hot showers, clothing, hygiene products, nourishing meals, and perhaps most importantly, a general sense of security and community.
The staff and case managers at Magnolia Ministries work daily to empower women by continually providing support and walking alongside them through various obstacles. That could mean aiding in completing essential paperwork, attending doctors visits, advocating for them, listening to their stories and celebrating their victories. The Magnolia Ministries team remains a steadfast and unwavering presence in the lives of the women they are serving. It is the spirit of compassion and commitment to building relationships that truly defines their work.
Recently, Help You Dwell had an opportunity to utilize our collective organizing expertise to help the staff set up their donation center for succinct and efficient donation management.
The donation center is near their main office and is where the staff sort and store donations of clothing, hygiene products, and food that supply the Magnolia Women’s Center. Upon our arrival, our team of organizers could see firsthand the profound impact the Magnolia Women’s Center is having in Knoxville and their clear passion for their mission to support women. We also saw a room overflowing with donations that needed a sustainable way to continually access what they needed.
Well, if you know anything about us..we couldn’t get started quickly enough! Sorting, collaborating, and thinking through what systems would work best.
As we worked, the atmosphere buzzed with a sense of excitement and determination. Each team member worked with vigor to set up this donation center in ways that would empower the staff so that they could, in turn, empower the women they serve.
Our collaboration with the Magnolia Women’s Center was not just about organizing physical spaces; it was about joining hands with an organization that embodies the ideals of hope and empowerment. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to support their mission and witness the transformative impact they have on the lives of women in our community. It was truly a joy to work together to serve our beautiful community.
Magnolia Ministries extends its impact through Likewise Coffee + Roastery in East Knoxville and Cultivate Coffee in Fountain City. At both of these locations, you can find the "Magnolia Made" collection that features handmade earrings crafted by women in the community. This initiative not only nurtures creativity and positivity but also paves the way for women to envision brighter futures. When you purchase these earrings from Likewise Coffee + Roastery and Cultivate Coffee, you are directly supporting the women involved.
We invite you to join us in supporting the incredible work of the Magnolia Ministries and be a part of this journey toward empowerment and hope. To learn more about Magnolia Ministries and the Magnolia Women’s Center, or the work of their parent organization, Raising a Voice, you can check out the links below.
