The Restoration House of East Tennessee
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June 13, 2013
My Name is Jessica. My son, Zander, was born when I was 19 years old. I worked 60hr+ a week to maintain a house, bills, & being a single mother. I lost my job due to "down sizing". My car broke down, I quickly lost my apartment, & to top it off I couldn't find another job so I had to move in with my mother... after a nervous breakdown one night I googled "help for single mothers in TN" & The Restoration House website was the first one I saw. Being the skeptic I am, I continued to search but nothing offered the "holistic care" as TRH did. So I called... The meeting was set up the next day, & I made plans for a ride to Knoxville (I lived 6 hrs west of there) After interviews & a ton of questions TRH accepted my son & I, not only into the program, but into their family. My mentors were more helpful & inspiring than I ever imagined & the staff made the transition a breeze. I learned so much about myself, my son, my role as a parent, & that good selfless people really do exist. I was able to attend a CNA class, get my CNA license, & find a job that made me realize how much i LOVE nursing while being a Single Mother of TRH! After a year at TRH, I was accepted into a Nursing program near my hometown. Graduating TRH was bitter sweet. Bitter because we had to leave our friends & family in Knoxville, but sweet because that was what they had encouraged me to work so hard for. April 19th of this year I walked down the isle & received my first ever college diploma! I will take the State test for my LPN licence very soon!! My TRH family may not have been able to make in person that night, but their cheers & praise still rang threw my head as if they were in the front row. The experiences I had during my time at TRH are like no other, I met celebrities, went on a Florida vacation, got to be on TV for goodness sakes... but out of every new adventure I had at The Restoration House, the most rewarding part had to have been meeting the staff, my mentors, & the other mothers. I think about them daily & love every chance we get to catch up! I cant wait until I am able to give back to them & to the single mothers of TRH's future! This Non Profit changed my life, as well as my sons... & WE LOVE THEM ALLL!
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
shrink all of the people involved & put 'em in my pocket. :D
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How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 31, 2012
I became involved in The Restoration House as a donor (since I live 8 hours away) when I heard and read about the GREAT things they do for single moms trying to get back on their feet to make a better life for their children. I give as often as I can -- and have been the recipient of donations in my name. They fulfill dreams -- with God's help.
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Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 31, 2012
I am a donor and a former volunteer mentor for the Restoration House of East Tennessee (TRH). My family is passionate about TRH and its work because it fills a vital and much needed role in the Knoxville area in helping low-income single mothers and their families. They do this through providing housing, practical life-skills training, mentoring, and encouragement. Since its inception, we have seen lives dramatically changed through TRH's work, both on the recipient side as families have been empowered and transformed, as well as on the donor/volunteer side. It is a tremendous privilege and blessing to be able to support this organization. Daniel and Mandy Watson are peerless in their commitment to helping this important segment of our community, and TRH's staff, volunteer mentors and providers, board members and community partnerships together create a powerful support web that is truly making positive, life-altering differences in East Tennessee.
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Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 31, 2012
It has been my pleasure to work with Daniel and Mandy Watson and The Restoration House since they first began laying the ground work for their ministry. I was impressed from the start because they were intentional about assessing the work of effective ministries already in the area. This was an effort to not duplicate services but to fill gaps. Their philosophy of walking alongside single moms and their children over the long-term to give them time to make positive, permanent changes meshes well the that of my own.
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How does this organization compare with others in the same sector?
Quite well
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you recommend this organization to others?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 21, 2012
I have been intimately involved with The Restoration House in many ways -- as a strategic planner who assisted in its initial formation, then later as a mentor, donor and board member. I have worked with more than 60 nonprofit organizations in my career, and this one stands out among them all... for the humble brilliance of its Executive Director, the research supporting the need for and effectiveness of its programming model and the commitment of its board, mentors, partners and surrounding community. The Restoration House does more than support low-income single mothers at a critical time; TRH helps stop the negative cycles that got them there... providing a brighter future for these moms and their children. The organization is a blessing to each individual who touches it..
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 17, 2010
The Restoration House of East Tennessee is a remarkable organization that strives to break the negative cycles that lead a woman down the path to becoming a low-income single mom. TRH doesn't just meet physical needs; the program includes a team of mentors to help encourage, build self-esteem and provide direction to these young women. The result is a true life change for these mothers and their children. TRH is tackling this chronic issue the only way it can be effectively addressed with lasting impact... one family at a time.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I have the pleasure of knowing a young woman who "graduated" from the TRH program. She is completely off of public assistance, has blossomed as a mother and has more self-confidence and a brighter future than she ever dreamed possible.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
The passionate vision of the leadership and their respectful approach to the women and children they serve.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Kind, concerned, supportive, talented
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Serve many more families, breaking the cycles that lead to low-income single motherhood in East Tennessee; train more staff and mentors to support these women; provide more housing for these women in need.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every month
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
May 20, 2012
After serving as a volunteer and a mentor, I would like to compliment this ministry in their endeavors to serve single mothers. I feel that they are meeting a much needed gap in services to these moms and are doing so in a God centered environment. They are assisting these moms in learning to become self-sufficient rather than encouraging them to rely on others for their needs.
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 16, 2012
I am a mentor to a young single Mom with a 3 year old son. I basically am available as her friend, and for help when she needs. We have gone on outings to the Smokey Mountain National Park, boating on the lake, gone shopping, and have had dinner at my house with my family and other friends. She has needed to attend school in the evenings, and has to work on some weekends. One of my roles as mentor was that I was in charge of coordinating babysitting for her during these times. I truly enjoyed taking care of her son, but if I wasn't able to, I had a list of other mentors that were able to help when needed.
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 16, 2012
Being a mentor for Restoration House has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had. I was very impressed early in the interviewing process with the "hand up" approach Restoration House takes. The single moms that are accepted into the program must be willing to follow the rules and guidelines set up by the program, such as having a part time job, working toward their education, going to classes on managing finances etc.. They must buy into the concept of the program. Restoration House is not a "hand out". It is an opportunity for a single mom to actively engage in seeking a better life for she and her children. Once I was accepted as a mentor, and met my single mom and her little boy, the whole experience became totally personal! I was able to witness the strenght and determination of a 21 year old mom to make a new start for her family. She was able to get a job, enroll her son in day care and begin night classes in nursing. Even when juvenile diabetes was discovered in her 2 year old, she persevered! After one year, she is now out of the program and in LPN school. As a mentor, I was able to be there for her by taking them to the pediatric doctors, and being that extra set of eyes and ears when hearing about the diagnosis and treatment of Juvenile Diabetes. I also helped her with decorating her apartment and turning it into a "home". We searched flea markets and yard sales and made a little go a long way! Lots of times we would just meet for lunch and talk about how things were going, and what she saw in the future. Baby sitting the 2 year old was always fun. It gave me my "baby time" and much needed time off for the mom, or time to go to night class. I can not say enough about Restoration House! It essentially gives a struggling mom the support that allows her to be the best that she can be, for herself and for her children! I have been very blessed to be able to be a small part of this program.
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 15, 2012
My husband and I walk beside a single mother of three. While we joined this organization to assist where we could, we have been richly blessed. This wonderful organization is not a handout, but rather a helpful program that helps mothers with useful tools, training and skills to be a success story and not just a statistic. With God, all things are possible.
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 15, 2012
Mentoring at it's finest!! The single family mothers and their children have multiple mentors that coach in the areas of spiritual needs, finance, organizing the home, support for the children, etc. The success for the families is the commitment to stay in the program for two years. This instills lifetime habits that help the mothers into the future. A truly mission driven organization!!
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Likely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
How did you learn about this organization?
I was asked to serve on the board
What is this organization's top short-term priority?
Build a 15 unit Village that will house single moms and their children.
What is its top priority in the long run?
To grow the organization to help more single moms!
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