Tag Archives: Empower Upper Cumberland

A report from the Department of Child Services revealed that all 14 Upper Cumberland counties rank higher than the state average in abuse and neglect in the household. Kristi Paling is Upper Cumberland Coordinator for The Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. Paling said these numbers have been trending upward. She said many of the removals and custody cases across ... Read More »

UCHRA has partnered with local agencies to develop a three-focused approach to its new Fatherhood Initiative. Director of Economic Development Megan Choate said she has been connected with resources and data through a partnership with Tennesseeans for Quality Early Education and the Brightstart program. She said the information they have shared has shaped the goal of getting fathers involved with ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Family Justice Center will provide an overview of its services to domestic abuse victims during a Tuesday panel. The panel titled “What Happens When Your World Turns Upside Down” will focus on issues like housing, prosecution, mental health assistance, substance abuse counseling, and safety planning. Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth Regional Coordinator Kristi Paling said the ... Read More »

The CIRCLES Program, part of the Empower effort to get families out of poverty, will expand to Cumberland County later this month, the second chapter in the state. Putnam County, the state’s first chapter, started last July and is now working with its second group of families. Those sessions began with eight families. Four are now homeowners and three have ... Read More »

Cookeville Regional Medical Center is raising money to help pay for the medical needs of families involved in the Empower Upper Cumberland program. CRMC Charitable Foundation Executive Director John Bell said they are looking for partnerships as well as donations to help families involved in the program with medical expenses. He said these families already get help with things like ... Read More »

The enrollment period for Empower Upper Cumberland begins February 15th. Director Megan Spurgeon shared the start date to local leaders during a UCHRA Policy Council meeting last week. Spurgeon said the pilot initiative will accept up to 800 low-income families to help them move up the economic ladder. “We still have a few more kinks to workout on how that ... Read More »

The Empower Upper Cumberland pilot program will host a clothing drive Saturday after receiving a large donation from the Salvation Army. Director Megan Spurgeon said bring a bag to Washington Avenue Baptist Church, and you can fill it with as many items as possible. “The goal is to really just get the word out about Empower Upper Cumberland as well ... Read More »

Empower Upper Cumberland will soft launch its community-based portion of its initiative to reimagine social services in Putnam County this July. Director Megan Spurgeon said the location will be a chapter of Circles USA. Circles USA is a relationship driven model implemented throughout the country that UCHRA wants to adopt. “These Circle chapters are staffed and ran by communities with ... Read More »

Empower Upper Cumberland is hiring high-level positions to develop the processes to staff the entire collaboration moving forward. Director Megan Spurgeon said the two positions will serve under the project manager: one focusing on training and the other overseeing required performance outcomes. “We are looking for individuals who have either worked in this system in the past or even maybe, ... Read More »

UCHRA Executive Director Mark Farley said he is confident that the newly funded “Empower Upper Cumberland” initiative will be successful. The Human Resource Agency was awarded $25 million in federal funding Thursday to implement a three-year pilot to reduce poverty. Farley said the relationship-based model has worked in multiple other states. “So while we are nervous and we understand there ... Read More »