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Clinch-Powell RC&D looks to provide more resources to those in the Lakeway Area in the next coming months.

The organization, which has been serving communities since 1989, aims to build strong, sustainable communities by investing in people, housing and conservation of natural resources.

It believes everyone deserves to live in a healthy and vital community where everyone is empowered, youth are celebrated, education is a priority, the environment is clean and housing is affordable.

“We help build strong communities, care for people and protect natural resources,” said Rebecca Dillow, director of Strategy & Development.

“We are considered a resource conservation and development council, we focus on community development and conservation,” Dillow said. “When we originally started we were strictly focused on conservation, but about 20 years ago we got into housing.

“We help agricultural producers, farmers and work closely with the Tennessee Nature Conservancy. We also are considered a HUD council agency and with that we council people who are facing foreclosure, want to buy a home or having hard time paying for their mortgage.”

Clinch-Powell also launched a fundraising page on its website to help fund its several projects and to cover daily operating costs.

As the organization looks back on the progress it made in 2022 to help individuals in three categories it see nothing but success.

“In 2021 when we developed our plan we wanted our projects for 2022 to focus on building on those strong communities, care for people and protect our natural resources.”

The organization helped invest $2.7 million in the local economy, provide 114 full time and part positions, counsel 281 clients, help save 94 homes from foreclosure, rescue 45 families from homelessness and had provided more than 6,000 youth with environmental education through AmeriCorps member service.

The annual report with a list of all services provided by the organization in 2022 can be found on its website.

“We accomplished so much in 2022 and we are so happy to have provided services to the community, and in the New Year we look forward to helping even more people in the region.”

Clinch-Powell has a many new plans and programs to help provide the community with services in 2023.

“We were awarded a HPG House Preservation grant and that will allow us to complete home repairs for families in the New Year,” Dillow said. “It’s very exciting because we haven’t had the grant in a while and it allows us to help people with ramps, heating and air, windows and new roofs.”

The organization plans to launch a media resource later this year to help educate people on housing opportunities.

“We will be launching a podcast this year that will educate people on affordable house and housing shortages,” Dillow said. “We understand as housing leaders we must come up with creative ways for the community to tap into the resources we have and have conservations around housing and we hope people benefit from the podcast.”

Clinch-Powell plans to launch a fundraiser to help renovate a historical site in Grainger County.

“We are partnering with the Grainger County Historical Society on a fundraiser in the spring to help with repairs for the Grainger County United Methodist Church.”

The organization plans to advocate to state officials for more funding to help provide more resources to the community.

“This year we are focused on advocacy work and we plan to work with politicians in the state to get more funding to build more homes because there is a shortage of affordable housing in the region.”

For more information on Clinch-Powell RC&D, its services or how to donate, visit its website or call 865.828.5927.