KNOXVILLE, Tenn — On Wednesday morning, Berea students at Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) are awake before sunrise.
“On an average day, a student wakes up at 6 a.m. in the morning. They have breakfast and a daybreak devotion at 7:45 a.m. From there, everyone will work together to make sure the whole facility is clean from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.,” explained Jeffery Crick, the Residential Manager for Berea.
Modeled after Berea College in Kentucky, Berea is a new program at KARM where participants experience a blend of job training, classroom time, and community service. The students live in a new co-ed wing of Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries where there are classrooms, a lounge area, and even some gym equipment and a ping pong table.
“A person in crisis needs a crisis response. But, once the crisis has been addressed, it’s time for a development response. Berea gives us that development response,” said Burt Rosen, the President of Knox Area Rescue Ministries.
“We’ve had people graduate before, but this will be the first class that has gone through the work, learn, serve, live model. They would have completed all 200 hours and more of their work responsibilities. They’re going to leave with a resume. They would have completed their 200 hours of classroom time. All the basics they need. And, they would have completed at least 36 hours of community service," Rosen continued.
Berea students can choose a career track to train in while they’re in the program.
Brenda Powell, who spent years struggling with drug addiction and homelessness while living in North Carolina, is training for a position in hospitality. Powell said she doesn’t recognize the person she was before the program.
“I have inner peace because I’m learning who I am and what I want to do,” Powell said. “It’s teaching me a new trade, something I’ve never done before, and I’m really hoping to get a receptionist job where I’m helping other people.”
Powell said helping others is her favorite aspect of Berea. Students participate in community service projects around the city.
“It’s given me purpose. I’m giving back what was given to me, and it’s so rewarding,” Powell said.
Alan Henry is on the maintenance career track.
“I was the type who bounced around everywhere. Now, I’m getting some feet on me where I can get settled somewhere. Once I graduate, I hope to get a job somewhere in Knoxville,” Henry said. “I got the opportunity to learn things like painting and building things, just general maintenance on a building, which will help in the future.”
After graduation on Thursday, Henry said he’s entering an eight-month-long leadership course where he’ll have the opportunity to speak at churches about his journey.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve actually completed something that wasn’t work required or something I just wanted to do, so completion of a program that’s bettering me is going to be really exciting,” Henry said.
Rosen hopes that by giving students the skills they need to be independent, productive citizens, the Berea program will end the revolving door of homelessness.
“They’ll have the foundation to go out into the community, and next time they come here, God willing, it’ll be to volunteer and support others,” Rosen said.