Causes

Religion & spirituality Housing & homelessness Human services

Posted by

Danielle W.

Director of Operations

Our mission

Mission
To provide a Christ-centered, holistic approach to address the root causes of addiction and brokenness by ministering to the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of women and children in recovery from addiction, abuse, sex-trafficking and other trauma.

Vision
To see lives transformed by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Exodus Chattanooga along with a coalition of churches, community-based service providers, and select landlords have partnered in a unique 12 month, faith-based recovery program, to further support women coming out of existing recovery programs and are ready for their "Next Steps" towards FREEDOM.

CORE VALUES

Seven core values form the foundation of Exodus Chattanooga's work and will guide this faith-based supportive "Next Steps" ministry to enable individuals and families to escape the cycle of addiction and homelessness. Exodus staff and volunteers seek to live these core values daily in their work.

Christ-centered - All staff and volunteers share a call to do the work of Exodus Chattanooga and approach what they do as a mission to serve, assist and love families with the love of Christ. Without discrimination or prejudice, we strive every day to imitate Christ's love to all in our program through action and service.

Compassionate - We seek to deliver services from a compassionate, trauma-informed perspective that guides all of our policies, decision-making and interactions with people. The staff and volunteers care for those we serve with dignity and respect.

Holistic - We care about the whole person and the entire family. Our faith-based holistic approach is tailored to meet the needs of the individual or family because we recognize that each area of life impacts their overall functioning.

Empowering - All of the services are tailored to individual needs. Our emphasis is on listening to our participants, giving them a voice, assisting them by advocating on their behalf and providing them with the tools they need to succeed. We ask their opinions and are mindful of their needs. Each participant sets their own goals in case management and therapy. Life skills classes are based on their stated needs and desires. Our goal is to foster independence within our families. Focusing on their strengths rather than their deficits allows us to concentrate on the abilities and resources they have at their disposal.

Excellence - Fostering a culture of excellence is important to Exodus Chattanooga and all our partners. Our efforts will be characterized by innovation and evidence-based best practices. We believe that excellence comes from the ongoing training of committed staff members and volunteers to keep them up-to-date and to provide them with the tools they need to be effective in their jobs. We also believe that developing close collaborations with other community agencies will improve the effectiveness of the ministry and expand our ability to provide services outside our areas of expertise. Our community partners and volunteers act as advocates, financial donors, providers of resources, consultants to staff, tutors to children and supporters of our participants. We continually look for ways to create opportunities for the community to participate in the life-changing work we do.

Stewardship - Stewardship is living life with a heart recognition that your money, your possessions and even your body do not belong to you but to the God who made you. Learning the principles of good stewardship is the path to healthy self-esteem and to experiencing the full measure of God's blessings, freedom and purpose in life.

Relational - The individuals and families we serve are not just numbers or clients. We say "Once a part of Exodus, always a part of Exodus" and we mean it. We value and support the role of community and recognize that part of the work of Exodus Chattanooga is to help create a sense of community not only for the organization but for those we serve. The whole purpose behind the creation of the Exodus Coalition of Churches is to connect our tenants with local congregations to serve in the role of extended family and community for each Exodus Chattanooga tenant.

What we do

Exodus provides Christ-centered, compassionate and holistic care for women and children in recovery. Connecting them with supportive housing, compassionate churches, and hope.
Exodus Chattanooga fills a gap that currently exists for many women who are ready to rebuild their lives after a recovery program, but may lack the strong, healthy, supportive community network needed to ensure their success as they take the Next Steps Journey.