The YWCA building is pictured above on Oak Ridge Turnpike. (Submitted photo)
YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley are celebrating the opening of the renovated YWCA building in Oak Ridge with a ribbon cutting and open house today (Monday, October 29).
The celebration is scheduled from 4:30-7 p.m. at the YWCA building at 1660 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
Assisted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin promptly at 4:30 p.m. with brief remarks by District Attorney General Dave Clark, Pastor Derrick Hammond of Oak Valley Baptist Church, Ridgeview Behavioral Services Chief Executive Officer Brian Buuck, Katatra, a representative from Leadership Oak Ridge, class of 2018, and YWCA representatives, a press release said. Building tours will be offered following the ribbon cutting, and light refreshments will be served.
“We are pleased to restore the YWCA building to its full glory while continuing to offer critical domestic violence services to those in need,†said Alizza Punzalan-Randle, chief executive officer of the YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley. “We are grateful to our dedicated board, donors, and volunteers for their commitment to ensuring the YWCA’s doors would reopen to serve the community.â€
The YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley, a nonprofit social service agency founded in 1899, began offering domestic violence services in Oak Ridge and Anderson County in 2015. In early 2017, the former YWCA of Oak Ridge building was acquired by the YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley, and building renovations started shortly after the acquisition.
The 10,500-square foot building in Oak Ridge is home to YWCA staff members who serve victims of domestic violence in Oak Ridge and Anderson County.
“YWCA services include the Victim Advocacy Program and Scattered-Site Transitional Housing,†said Maggie McNally, director of social services for the YWCA. “In addition to housing YWCA staff and services, the Oak Ridge building is home to Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee and CASA of the Tennessee Heartland—nonprofits whose missions align with the YWCA.â€
Additional rental space is available for a nonprofit seeking office space, the press release said.
The Oak Ridge building also features a large, multi-purpose community room that can be rented for various meetings and events. Interested parties should contact the YWCA at (865) 523-6126, the press release said.
About YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley
The YWCA is a nonprofit social service agency focused on empowerment, justice, and dignity for all. The YWCA, whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women, serves more than 23,000 clients and families annually through youth programming, women’s housing, advocacy for victims of domestic violence, and health and wellness opportunities. Service areas include Knox, Anderson, Roane, and Loudon counties in Tennessee.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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