Thanks to a $3,750 grant from the Knox County Foundation, the costs for five qualifying individuals to enter an addiction rehab program will be covered.
“The grant will provide five different Knox County individuals, ages 12 to 70, the registration fee of $750 to attend the seven-month program,” said Dan Humphrey, chairman of TouchPointe Marriage and Family Resources, the grant's recipient.
Humphrey said TouchPointe is an agent for the Starfish Project, a faith-based initiative designed to help people with life-controlling addictions enter a Teen Challenge Recovery program. Though called Teen Challenge, the nonprofit program is open to other ages.
KnoxWorks, the employment component of TouchPointe, works with "willing and capable" men and women who need a second chance, Humphrey said.
TouchPointe's executive director, Jessica Reynolds, finds jobs for participants.
“She works closely with area employers, matching the potential employee and their skills with the employer," Humphrey said. "But it does not stop there. She will follow up with both the employee and the employer on a regular basis and will often provide assistance when issues arise in the workplace.”
Humphrey said Reynolds is the organization’s only full-time employee, assisted by 12 to 15 volunteers supporting their mission.
“Much of the work of the volunteers is one-on-one mentoring,” he said. “Some of this is working with parents who need tools to assist in raising children. Other areas include weekly visits with selected inmates at the Knox County Jail.”
Humphrey said TouchPointe is about building relationships, which requires learning to communicate well. That starts with listening, a critical component of any type of relationship, whether it be a couple, a parent and child, or employee and employer, he said.
“Communication and conflict resolution tools are taught to the men and women served by the organization,” Humphrey said.
As a result of the pandemic, TouchPointe has seen an increase in demand for couples coaching.
“Relationships have been stressed to their limits and couples of all ages are seeking help,” Humphrey said. “Employers are struggling to find employees and have come to Reynolds for help through the KnoxWorks program. Employers have come to respect the program and will give individuals interviews on her recommendation.”
TouchPointe was founded in 2010 by retired educators Dan and Barb Humphrey. According to their website, they apply their combined 65 years in the public school system to address some of the issues causing trouble in families.
