Client Assistance
To help us care for our clients, we are looking for several specific resources to address their wide variety of needs. In particular, we sometimes need mentors to work alongside our young adults to help provide guidance and support. We often need affordable housing alternatives, and notifications of job opportunities for workers with a range of skill sets to help them gain job experience. Having no public transportation on the mountain, clients may also need rides to appointments off the mountain. If you can help assist in any of these areas, please contact a Social Worker at our office.
We also work with clients that have been diagnosed with medical conditions that leave them unable to work or drive. These residents now have very little income to pay their rent and stay in their homes. SMSS routinely works with landlords to make partial payments towards the rent that these families need to keep them from becoming homeless. We typically require $15,000 in annual donations to prevent the homelessness of the Signal Mountain families we are caring for. We are also accepting donations specifically earmarked for medical care and prescription drug costs to help the parents of these young families return to their jobs.
SMSS firmly believes that every Signal Mountain resident deserves to feel safe in their own home. Home repairs can be very costly and we typically spend close to $25,000 a year to provide critical solutions to our clients' housing issues. To submit a donation, or to volunteer with this effort, please contact a Social Worker at our office.
Food Pantry Needs
We feed hundreds of Signal Mountain children, adults, and seniors each year. The typical cost to provide this life saving service is $22,000 in groceries, hygiene items, food vouchers and in-kind donations.
To help stock our Food Pantry, nonperishable food items can be dropped off at the Signal Mountain Social Services office between 10am – Noon, Monday – Friday, or left in the receptacles outside our door. Financial donations can be given by clicking the “Donate” button above or mailing a check to our office at SMSS, PO Box 294, Signal Mountain, TN 37377.
SMSS currently employs 7 tutors to work with, and mentor, over 50 of our at-risk children each week. Projected cost for this strategic service is $5,000 per month.
School Supplies
To further support our very youngest client’s success in school, SMSS will provide backpacks, school supplies and clothing vouchers to over 70 Signal Mountain children in August of this year. Projected cost for this program is $7,200.
Client Impact Story
Our SMMHS tutors identified two high school seniors who would be first-generation college graduates and helped them apply for college using our Signal Mountain Social Services scholarship program. Our tutors had known these children since middle school and believed they were both capable of college-level work and deserving of our scholarship. They worked closely with both students to complete their applications and both of our young clients were accepted to their college of choice and awarded our scholarships to help cover the cost of tuition.
Appliances and Furniture
SMSS strives to provide the best possible living conditions for all of our Signal Mountain families in need. Most of our clients can’t afford major appliances or adequate furniture for their homes. Please contact us if you have a gently used appliance or furniture to donate and we will match your donation with a family in need. Delivery of these larger donations is also very much appreciated!
Technical Skills
Oftentimes with no means to afford a computer, our clients can feel intimidated by the digital world we live in. SMSS has computers in our computer lab that our clients can use for job searching and other basic applications. We are looking for volunteers who can work with our clients to help them learn basic technology skills. Please contact us if you can help!
Tutors/Mentors/Volunteers
The incredible success we have had in guiding our clients to self-reliance has truly taken the support of the entire Signal Mountain community. Because our service needs are constantly evolving based on the unique circumstances of our clients, we would love to hear from you if you have a heart to serve or a skill to share! Please contact us with questions, or to discuss how you can best serve our community members in need!
