Newly renovated Nancy J. Land Center to combat homelessness
YWCA of Knoxville and Tennessee Valley officially opened the doors of the 100-year-old, newly renovated downtown building now called the Nancy J. Land Center.
The ribbon cutting and celebration were planned to be held on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 10:30 a.m. at YWCA at 420 W. Clinch Ave. in downtown Knoxville.
The center will support and expand the Jenny Boyd Keys of Hope Program for Women, which combats homelessness and ensures women in need have the chance to rebuild lives devastated by domestic abuse, addiction, loss and other challenges.
The recent renovation added nearly 30 percent more resident rooms to the building and expanded the program to provide services for more than 200 women each year who otherwise would be homeless.
The program has a proven success rate: 90 percent of women who complete the Keys of Hope program secure employment and independent housing.
The program is a proven solution to homelessness at a fraction of the cost. The YWCA invests nearly $6,000 per woman per year while the annual taxpayer cost to support a chronically homeless person is estimated at more than $40,000.
