The 100 Women Who Care East Tennessee Foothills “giving circle” heard from three local nonprofits — Loudon County Habitat for Humanity, Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking and the Monroe County Health Council — and gave more than $16,300 to the unanimous cause.
For more than two years, women in Loudon and Monroe County have dedicatedly donated $100 quarterly to local nonprofit organizations. Their meetings always take place at 4:30 p.m. at the Tellico Village Yacht Club, where they socialize, offer door prizes and hear from three nominated area nonprofits.
Each quarter, the goal is to raise $10,000 for the selected nonprofit; however, every quarter that amount has been surpassed.
Involved ladies are encouraged to donate to the cause ahead of time online through the 100 WWC grapevine website, but they have until the end of the quarter to donate. This means that even though $16,300 was pledged during the meeting that amount will likely go up in the next few months.
Representatives from the three nonprofits were given five minutes each to tell about their work and how this money would benefit their organization. After each five-minute presentation, representatives were allotted a five-minute Q&A.
Loudon County Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Tony Gibbons and Director of Development Rachel Rendon spoke eloquently about the impact LCHFH has in the area. They said if awarded this money, they would focus it on the Critical Repair program, which provides home repairs to senior adults so they may move around safely in their homes.
Heather Rhymes, executive director of the Monroe County Health Council shared testimonies about the importance of the Monroe STOPE program, which provides services to families impacted by domestic violence and human trafficking. STOPE stands for Standing Together Offering Protection and Encouragement, which Rhymes said is exactly what their mission with it is.
Monroe County Health Council helps around 250 families annually, offering personalized support for individuals trying to escape abusive situations.
On behalf of Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Executive Director Kate Trudell spoke about how prevalent human trafficking is in East Tennessee and many survivors experience it in the zip code they grew up in.
The CCAHT’s mission is to unite and equip the community to end human trafficking through specialized training and education for both the public and professionals. Trudell said the money donated would go toward the operating costs of their 24/7 hotline, purchase therapy supplies, and fund emergency assistance for survivors in these counties.
THE RESULTS
Once the presentations concluded, representatives were dismissed from the room so the ladies could openly discuss their opinions and cast their vote. During this time, they also announced the door prize winners and heard from Sarah Martin, executive director at OurPLACE, who was the recipient of the 100WWC donation in April of last year.
The winner for the first quarter of 2025’s donation was Loudon County Habitat for Humanity.
“I’m ecstatic. This is really humbling, of course,” Gibbons said. “We’re thrilled.
“We were up against two other incredible organizations that are bringing fantastic services, needed programs for both Loudon and Monroe County. We were really grateful to be just simply nominated. … So for us to have received the votes for the award, it really means a lot to us.
“We’re going to be able to take this funding over the next two years and leverage it to match dollars with other grants and foundation dollars that require it and raise tenfold this amount and help 25 seniors, probably more than that, as a result.
“And that’s going to be good for both Loudon and Monroe County.”
The next 100WWC meeting will be held on May 15. Those interested in attending or wanting to ask questions can contact 100wwc.easttnfoothills@gmail.com.
