Americans Helping Americans® partner in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies (AMOS) describes itself as “a poverty relief ministry in partnership with the community that began in 1984 through the Campus Ministries Department at Carson-Newman University” and currently relates to the Church Relations Division.
AMOS serves the community by providing home repairs to individuals/families living in sub-standard conditions, emergency shelter to women and children at its Samaritan House, educational programs, food, clothing, household items and life skills training.
Its Samaritan House Family Ministries is an emergency shelter for women and children experiencing a housing crisis, where residents may stay up to 45 days while working toward their goals. However, extensions of up to 90 days are possible if the resident is in good standing and working toward their goals, notes AMOS Executive Director Jean-Ann Washam.
“Staff and volunteers meet with the residents on a regular basis to review goals, provide encouragement and support,” says Jean-Ann.
Job Readiness and Housing Support
Thanks to the supporters of Americans Helping Americans®, we are able to provide grant funding to AMOS to operate programs at the Samaritan House shelter which includes job readiness.
Residents are required to seek employment if they are not disabled or if the cost of childcare is prohibitive.
For 2026, Jean-Ann said that funding from Americans Helping Americans® will be used to purchase necessary items upon securing a job.
“This may include but is not limited to clothing, protective footwear (steel toe shoes or no-slip shoes), safety glasses, etc.,” she told us in AMOS’s grant application. “In addition, funding will be used to make necessary repairs to the resident’s vehicle or gasoline to get to and from work. There is no assistance in the community for vehicle repairs or gasoline assistance for individuals to get back and forth to work.”
In addition, residents are required to save a large portion of their income during their stay in preparation for future housing and utility deposits. When the time comes to move out on their own, grant funding from Americans Helping Americans® is also available to help cover those costs.
“Housing deposits typically exceed $1,000 and include electric, water, gas, and rental deposits,” says Jean-Ann.
While there is the opportunity for financial assistance in the community for shut-off notices for utilities, Jean-Ann tells us, “I am not aware of any organization or congregation that is providing initial deposits for utilities or housing.”
A Shelter Serving Three Counties
Residents at the Samaritan House Family Ministries, the only emergency shelter for women and children serving Jefferson, Grainger, and Cocke counties, are homeless due to a combination of personal choices and limited opportunities, explained Jean-Ann.
This year, Jean-Ann expects that a total of 40 individuals, women and their children, from 25 households will be served through the grant funding from Americans Helping Americans®.
Hannah’s Story
Among those served last year through the program was Hannah, who was getting divorced, and her three children, two teenage girls and a 9-year-old boy, who needed to move out of their current home, which belonged to her in-laws.
“They were discovering how difficult it is to find suitable housing,” reported Jean-Ann. “Hannah knew she needed her own place, which would require time and money to acquire.
“The shelter would give her a chance to save her income and search for an affordable rental.”
Fortunately, there was a room available at the shelter and the family was able to move in.
As Hannah and her children were getting settled in, she was informed about the importance of saving her own income so she could qualify for assistance from Americans Helping Americans®.
Working as a substitute teacher, she needed help with gasoline. Through the job readiness program and funding from Americans Helping Americans®, she was able to fill her tank, with the understanding that she would limit her driving to getting to and from work.
Then one day, Hannah came home excited about an apartment in one of the older homes nearby.
“She said she had met with the landlord and even though the apartment was small, she felt it would work,” Jean-Ann reported.
When it was time for Hannah to move out, she was able to get some furniture from AMOS and the Samaritan House was able to help with some household items and cleaners.
And grant funding from Americans Helping Americans® helped her with her electric deposit.
Since then, Hannah has only needed to contact the Samaritan House to check on mail.
“She says things are going well and they are happy in the little apartment,” Jean-Ann told us.
