Shopper Blog: Nonprofit pursues 'God's good intent' for single-parent families

Nonprofit pursues 'God's good intent' for single-parent families

Carly Norman, Shopper News

According to the U.S. Census Bureau survey taken in 2022, 36% of children in Tennessee live in single-parent homes.

Though this statistic may seem bleak, for organizations like The Restoration House, it’s an opportunity for life-giving partnerships with parents and their kids that will ultimately strengthen communities and equip the next generation of leaders.

At The Restoration House (TRH), a nonprofit serving low-income, single-parent families in the Knoxville area, families are given a wide array of support as they take next steps toward their dreams and goals. One of these areas of support is through Youth Development.

“The Restoration House’s mission is to restore single mothers and their children back to God’s good intent for their lives,” said Kylee Lillis, who works as a Youth Advocate at TRH. “We do that through different program initiatives like supportive transitional housing, ally teams, family advocacy, and youth development.”

The Youth Development program is a vital part of TRH operations, partnering with the Emerald Youth Foundation to provide highly trained staff and best practices in robust youth development for elementary through high school students.

“One of the main ways we walk alongside youth is through our afterschool and summer program called ‘On Belay,’’” Lillis explained. She described the program as ‘marking the beginning of a climber's journey.’

Through goal-setting and community building, youth in the On Belay program are encouraged to grow into confident and inspiring leaders, while understanding the importance of overcoming setbacks in their journey.

The program takes a comprehensive approach to youth development, providing kids with structured devotionals, designated recreational time, daily check-ins, social-emotional lessons, and tutoring and enrichment sessions.

On Belay is open to elementary, middle school, and high school students, ensuring they receive not only academic support but also invaluable life skills.

But On Belay isn’t just for the kids. “We believe in a whole family approach,” said Lillis, who emphasized the importance of working alongside both the youth and their moms in their journey toward restoration. While the kids work toward leadership development, moms are supported through family advocacy and housing initiatives to develop a resident action plan with supportive community and partners that focus on helping them realize their dreams.

As a youth advocate, Lillis’s role is to support school-aged youth in whatever ways they need. For her, this looks like walking alongside their mothers as they navigate academic challenges, helping kids get involved in extracurricular activities, or simply being a sounding board for ideas in goal setting.

“The opportunity to witness each child’s growth and see how they gain confidence in themselves is incredibly impactful – not only for them but also in how it shapes my own perspective and the way I set goals in my own life.”

Asked about the future of Youth Development at TRH, Lillis is hopeful that as the kids grow in their leadership abilities, they will help shape the direction of the program and continue to provide input on what best practices look like.

“I envision a community where the youth take ownership of their development, with older kids mentoring younger ones and younger kids contributing their own perspectives. Ultimately, the goal is to cultivate a space where leadership naturally flourishes, and the kids support one another in a community built on integrity, empathy, and mutual respect.”

HALLS

It's no stretch − On a farm or in a hammock, yoga helps a body

Al Lesar, Shopper News

Yoga became a big part of Brittany Charnley’s life when she was forced to deal with her first knee surgery at the age of 22.

Since her start, her passion for the activity became enhanced. About nine years ago, she dedicated one weekend a month for a year to learning to be an instructor.

“There are so many mental and physical benefits to the practice,” Charnley said. “It clears your mind. It brings positivity. It helps regulate the nervous system.”

The improvements in balance and flexibility are a couple of the more tangible physical by-products from yoga.

Though an instructor, Charnley occasionally likes to take classes as a student.

“I like to be around people,” she said. “I like to be able to share the experience with others, and not always be in charge.”

That was the case a couple years ago. She was taking a class with 30 other people on a lavender farm on McCloud Road in Halls owned by Marcee Matthews and her husband. Charnley and Matthews had met in their jobs as activities directors for the elderly.

“I was there for the class and the instructor didn’t show up,” Charnley said. “People knew I was an instructor, so I taught the class.”

Beautiful backdrop for yoga

That experience planted a seed for Charnley. The next year, she scheduled one class on the same farm during the peak of the lavender season. This summer, she has had three in June.

Once the lavender was done, Charnley scheduled farm yoga sessions at the same outdoor location in July, August and September. Classes were scheduled on two Thursday nights and two Saturday mornings each month.

Registration for the farm classes is required. Cost is $20.

“We did a lavender class near sunset,” Charnley said. “It was just beautiful. The sky was a lavender color. Everything smelled so good. There’s a pond on the farm that’s amazing. There are some beautiful valley views.”

Charnley said the Matthewses have lavender lemonade and bundles of lavender for each participant. Also, lavender soaps and other items are for sale.

Allowance for physical limitations

In addition to a job working with the elderly, Charnley teaches different types of yoga. She has an aerial yoga class at the Renegade Yoga Center. The practice uses hammock-like silks that allow the participant to defy gravity a bit.

“It’s kinda like you’re training to be in the circus,” Charnley said laughing. “It’s not as difficult as most people would think. We have beginners in that class who are amazed at how well they can pick it up.

“You can do some deeper stretches than you can in floor yoga. Everything we do, there can be modifications for skill and physical limitations.”

The positive mental and physical benefits of yoga sometimes can get lost in the misconceptions that there is something more mysterious around the practice.

“Some people can be confused,” she said. “It’s not a religion, it’s an exercise that focuses on the mental and the physical. People think it’s harder than it really is. Most every pose has a modification.”

For more information or to register for a class, go to Charnley’s Bend It Like Britt Facebook page or email her at: brittany@benditlikebritt.com .

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Shopper Blog: Nonprofit pursues 'God's good intent' for single-parent families