Short Summary

      The growing homeless population in not only our community but in our country as a whole is one that should never be overlooked. That is why we created this fundraiser with Caring Hands to give those who are less fortunate a second chance at life. Everyone deserves to fulfill their full potential no matter what cards you are dealt, driving our passion toward this life-changing organization. We, as a group of students in a Public Writing course at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are dedicated to helping Hand Up for Women obtain vital resources for growth because we care deeply about the lives of the women this organization aids. We recognize our privilege of receiving an education that will provide a foundation for our careers in the future, compelling us to help provide that same thing for those who may even need it more than us. Even just a donation as small as one dollar or even sharing our campaign to a friend could help a woman in need receive a miracle that can change their life forever.

What We Need & What You Get

      Our goal is to raise $1,000 in donations of which 100% will go directly to the nonprofit organization Hand Up for Women, and also bring awareness to the struggles women in our community face. The donations are going to be used by the organization to support their day-to-day needs, as their upcoming goal is to expand their facility to serve more women, as well as offering a few affordable apartments for women in the program. As a group, we maintain that our only intention is to provide help to the women in the organization, and we want your full trust in our campaign. 

      As a way of thanking our donors, our group has reached out to a few local individuals and businesses such as Nixon’s Deli (Knoxville, TN) and received some perks! Some of our perks include a $10 gift card to Nixon’s Deli, hoop earrings, and pearl earrings.

      We are going to work very hard to reach our $1,000 goal for the organization, but we are aware of the chance it might not happen. In this case, 100% of the money whether below or above the goal will still go directly to Hand Up For Women. Any amount of donation is greatly appreciated and we hope this raises awareness to the positive goal of the organization to help these local women become self-sufficient.

The Impact

      We need to put an emphasis on helping women and giving them the opportunity to thrive and become the best version of themselves. This is a real issue, and the simple caring hand can go a long way. Donating to the less fortunate is a great way of giving back to the community, and our campaign highlights a real and relatable group of people. The impact that a donation of any size would have is untraceable and would be greatly appreciated. 

      Now, you may not think that your contribution will be important. Don't worry, our group will take your contribution and use it to the best of our abilities.  It is so important to our group to see these wonderful women coming together. With your donation or contribution it will help this organization be able to give these women all the help that they need in order to be successful. 

Risks & Challenges

     It is a very common stigma that homeless people are homeless because they have made decisions to put themselves there. People think twice before donating to a fundraiser directed towards a homeless population because they think, “will they actually use this to help themselves?” Caring Hands will answer this question with one word: absolutely. Sherri at Portland Rescue Mission describes her harrowing experience, “I was dying in a cheap motel room absolutely filled with fear, without a friend in the world.” The Mission describes, “Most of the hundreds of people we serve every day have deep emotional wounds and inadequate life skills, often due to very difficult upbringing or severe trauma”. As this insightful information states, homelessness is not a choice.

    A challenge our fundraiser has the potential to face is that the results may not be seen for a long while. It takes time to fund and build new infrastructure no matter where it is being built. But we assure you that your donation will be used to create opportunities that are priceless to those who will receive them.

Other Ways You Can Help

     With every donation that is given we are thankful, however, we understand you may not be able to contribute. Another way to help Hand Up for Women is to share our campaign with those around you, as well as share it throughout social media. We want the community to hear about these women’s stories, and furthermore understand Hand Up for Women’s mission in our community, 

For more information:

https://ahandupforwomen.org/