A Hand Up For Women

What A Hand Up For Women does

Hand UP for Women is a 501(c)(3) life-management and career-readiness ministry founded in 2002 and based in Knoxville, Tennessee, that serves women overcoming addiction, abuse, poverty, and justice involvement. The organization delivers an 18-month program of twice-weekly classes (Tuesday and Thursday evenings) covering life skills, career readiness, computer skills, financial literacy, anger management, relationships, and spiritual development, supplemented by one-on-one mentoring and short-term housing. Participants are referred through Knox Recovery Court, Campbell County Drug Court, halfway houses, churches, and direct application, with no cost to participants. As of 2025, 85 women have graduated and over 200 have been served for at least 30 days.

The core product is a curriculum-driven human services program with no underlying technology component; delivery is classroom-based and relationship-driven rather than software-driven. Supporting 'products' include the Duncan House short-term housing facility (serving up to 15 women), the newly acquired Miracle Ridge campus on Buffat Mill Road (3.5 acres, expandable to 25 women with graduate apartments), a mentoring service pairing participants with trained mentors, and the Samaritan Motors vehicle-purchase program providing affordable transportation.

Revenue is generated through a diversified donation model: more than half of funding comes from individual donors (one-time gifts, monthly contributions, honor/memorial donations, and program sponsorships), supplemented by foundation grants (including the Trinity Health Foundation), annual fundraising events (the Gala raised over $130,000 in 2025; the Hand UP for Change Auction raised over $20,000), and modest participant housing fees (15% of monthly income at Miracle Ridge). Operations are led by Executive Director Eva Pierce and Program Coordinator Karen Mills, with approximately 15 volunteer instructors and a board of directors including incoming Board President Christina Lindberg (effective June 1, 2025).

Name

A Hand Up For Women

Legal name

Hand UP for Women

Website

https://ahandupforwomen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hand UP for Women is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based 501(c)(3) life-management and career-readiness ministry serving women overcoming addiction, abuse, poverty, and justice involvement through an 18-month classroom and mentoring program with short-term housing, funded by individual donations, grants, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Nonprofit Ministry

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

Keywords

• Life-management ministry
• Career-readiness training
• Women recovery services
• Faith-based mentoring
• Nonprofit transitional housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: More than half of funding comes from individual donors who make one-time gifts, monthly contributions, donations in honor or memory of loved ones, or sponsorships to send a lady through the program.
2. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including the Gala (raised over $130,000 in 2025), Diamonds & Ice event, and Hand UP for Change Auction (raised over $20,000).
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from organizations such as Trinity Health Foundation for expansion and classroom space at Miracle Ridge property.
4. Participant Housing Fees: Participants living at Miracle Ridge pay 15% of their monthly income toward rent, providing affordable housing while generating some revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hand UP for Women provides a free, faith-based 18-month life-management and career-readiness program for women overcoming addiction, abuse, poverty, and despair. The program delivers twice-weekly evening classes, individual mentoring, short-term housing (Duncan House and Miracle Ridge), and connections to community resources such as the City of Knoxville Second Chances Program and Samaritan Motors transportation assistance.

Product overview

Hand Up for Women is a life-management and career-readiness ministry offering a comprehensive 18-month program with twice-weekly classes. The organization operates Duncan House (short-term housing for up to 15 participants) and the newly acquired Miracle Ridge at Buffat Mill property (3.5-acre campus expandable to serve 25 women). Core offerings include educational classes in life skills, career development, computer training, and spiritual growth, supplemented by one-on-one mentoring, housing support, and transportation assistance through Samaritan Motors. The ministry focuses on women overcoming addiction, abuse, poverty, and despair through an 18-month intensive program combining classroom instruction with individual mentoring and peer support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Life-Management and Career-Readiness Ministry Program An 18-month comprehensive, faith-based program (free to participants) offering twice-weekly classes (Tuesday and Thursday 6–8pm) that teach women life skills, career readiness, and spiritual development to achieve self-reliance. Targets women over 18 in East Tennessee overcoming addiction, abuse, poverty, or justice involvement.
• Mentoring Program One-on-one mentoring service that pairs committed participants with trained mentors who provide personal support, accountability, and encouragement throughout the program journey. Designed to offer an agenda-free female friendship and ongoing accountability.
• Miracle Ridge Transitional Housing A 3.5-acre transitional housing campus acquired in 2023 that, upon completion, will accommodate 25 women (versus the prior maximum of 15) with housing for residents, office space, classroom meeting space, and apartments for graduates. Residents pay 15% of monthly income toward rent.
• Samaritan Motors Transportation Program A vehicle donation and purchase program operated in partnership that provides Hand UP for Women graduates with affordable, reliable transportation at flat rates, including maintenance and insurance support, to enable stable employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85 women graduated as of 2025; over 200 served
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, important, supportive and community resource.

• City of Knoxville Second Chance ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Hand UP for Women has been partnering with the City of Knoxville's Second Chance Program for over 6 years. The program places qualified women who have completed the career-readiness program in 12-week paid internships with the city's public works department and other municipal areas. Women have earned certifications including CDLs and permanent positions with the city, including at Knoxville Police Department.
• Knox Recovery CourtimportantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKnox Recovery Court refers participants to Hand UP for Women. Participants like Karla Johnson have come through this partnership.
• Black Oak Heights Baptist ChurchsupportiveChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnered with Hand UP for Women for the inaugural Angels and Axles Car Show and Bake Sale fundraiser.
• Campbell County Drug CourtimportantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferred Ashley Myers to Hand UP for Women after connecting her with a halfway house in Knox County.
• Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM)community resourceOthersListed as a community resource for emergency shelter, meals, and recovery programs for women served by Hand UP for Women.
• Samaritan MotorssupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram that donates cars to Hand UP for Women participants at affordable prices, helping graduates gain reliable transportation for employment.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thistle Farms: Thistle Farms is a Nashville-based nonprofit operating a residential recovery and social enterprise program for women survivors of trafficking, addiction, and abuse. It shares Hand Up for Women's faith-informed, holistic recovery-to-employment model and serves a comparable participant population.
• Mercy Multiplied: Mercy Multiplied is a faith-based nonprofit offering voluntary residential recovery for young women ages 13-28, combining life-skills education, biblical discipleship, and mentoring. Like Hand Up for Women, it combines long-duration programming, mentoring, and faith-based recovery for women.
• The Magdalene House: The Magdalene House (Knoxville affiliate: Women's Recovery House) provides long-term residential recovery and life-skills programming for women survivors of trafficking, addiction, and incarceration in East Tennessee. It overlaps with Hand Up for Women on participant profile, faith-rooted approach, and geographic catchment.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA of Greater Knoxville / Knoxville Family Justice Center: YWCA East Tennessee and related domestic-violence service organizations serve the same Knox County population but with a broader social-services portfolio including DV shelters and case management. Functions as a referral source for Hand Up for Women's survivor segment.

Regional players

• Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM): KARM is a Knoxville-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, meals, and recovery programs in Knox County, and is explicitly listed as a community resource partner for Hand Up for Women participants. Both serve the same at-risk population in the same geography but at different stages of recovery.
• Samaritan House (Tennessee): Samaritan House in Cookeville, Tennessee provides long-term residential recovery and life-skills training for women through a faith-based program. Comparable in program structure, faith orientation, and participant profile to Hand Up for Women's East Tennessee operation.

Emerging players

• Amethyst Recovery Center: Amethyst Recovery and similar outpatient recovery centers share the recovery-focused, dual-diagnosis treatment framing. Different delivery model (clinical outpatient vs. faith-ministry hybrid) makes it an emerging/adjacent peer rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HandUpForWomen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a-hand-up-for-women

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about A Hand Up For Women