Carter Compassion Center open house is Friday
Published 12:29 pm Thursday, October 27, 2022
- Star Photos/Robert Sorrell Home of the new Carter Compassion Center located at the former Elizabethton-Carter County Chamber of Commerce building on U.S. Highway 19E.
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By Danielle Morin
Elizabethton Star
Carter County citizens in need will soon have a new resource center to turn to. Carter Compassion Center will be hosting an open house this Friday to commemorate its grand opening.
Interim Director Andrew Kingston described the facility as a “one-stop hub” for community assistance programs in the area. The non-profit organization will work to connect residents with programs and resources that they may otherwise have trouble finding on their own. Assistance can vary from locating shelter and housing aid for homeless residents to helping citizens find local programs or even churches to temporarily assist with living expenses like utility bills. The center will even offer mentoring services to work closely with those residents seeking assistance to help them get back on their feet and find ways to become self-sufficient once again.
Brandon Young, a local pastor, founded the organization because he noticed that much of the area’s public resources and aid were not well known to the community, and many people did not know where to turn or who to call when they needed help. “It was just [Brandon] seeing the need for it in the community,” Kingston said about the head of the Board of Directors, “There’s a lot of families in Carter County — individuals and families — that are homeless right now. They’re maybe living in tents or staying in a hotel long-term or things like that, and there’s just a real need for it.”
The open house will begin with a ceremonial ribbon cutting to mark the official grand opening. Although Kingston said he is not sure yet who will be able to join in the opening celebration, local assistance organizations that the center plans to work closely with have been invited to attend. Kingston says he hopes the celebration will raise awareness of the new center’s presence in Carter County so they can immediately begin making real change and impact in the community.
The Carter Compassion Center’s open house event will take place at 1 p.m. The center is located in the former Chamber of Commerce building at 500 Highway 19E in Elizabethton. The event is open to the public and Carter County residents are strongly encouraged to attend.
