WHY?

Women and Poverty in Chattanooga

Data USA lists Chattanooga's poverty rate at 17.6%. A New York Times article found that 27 percent of the city’s residents live below the poverty line, nearly double the national average. Out of that number, “women head two-thirds of the city’s poor households and 42 percent of its children are poor, nearly double the rate statewide.” The 2019 Census Bureau found that women are the largest demographic living in poverty in Chattanooga, particularly ages 25-34.

Poverty is crippling the well being of a large number of women who are raising the children of our city’s future.

We have found that the women who apply for our program are usually overworked, underpaid and economically disadvantaged. They very often have an underdeveloped form of income such as food services, house cleaning, pet care, arts and crafts, etc., they have created to make ends meet. We step in and help them develop that into something more sustainable, empowering them to earn more for their time invested in work.

Beloved Woman is unique in that we focus specifically on the needs of disadvantaged women to help them rise up out of their circumstances. We find that we need a longer term program than most entrepreneurial incubators. While most incubators are co-ed, have an entry fee and only last 9 to 10 weeks, Beloved Woman’s program is one year with an option to become part of an ongoing graduate support group. Our experience shows us that trust and relationship building are the two most important and yet, most under rated aspects of creating economic mobility. And it simply takes time. We don’t rush our participants or put undue pressure on them, we evolve with them as they have the courage to shift their narrative from “I can’t” to “I can.”

WHO Qualifies For Our Program?

Any woman age 18 and over who is financially disadvantaged, has a GED or is enrolled in a GED program, and a self-starter with a desire to provide for herself. We also request that if a woman is currently in a recovery program, that she has at least 6 months sobriety before beginning our program. Applications are reviewed from April through Aug each year with a course beginning in Sept. There is no need to have a specific business idea to begin, we provide a list of at least 10 startup ideas to choose from.

HOW?***

It’s All About Community

Phase 1: Women enter a 9 week start-up period, meeting once a week to work through a curriculum uniquely designed for women by experts in the field of economic development and sustainability. During this time, women work together on their self-employment ideas as a group. This period is an intensive, involving a 6 step feasibility study and creating a business plan that includes a business summary, budget, implementation, and a fully developed marketing and launch plan. Women end this phase with a completed business plan.

Phase 2: After this period, they are paired with a female, business mentor and attend a twice-a-month small group that facilitates ongoing education, training, securing the necessary licenses, insurance, tax information and the moral and community support they need to help them succeed. During this time, they are also offered an opportunity to build a website through our Beloved Woman template if they choose. After one year of taking the necessary steps to prepare to launch or re-launch their business, they graduate and receive a certificate. They officially launch their business at a community market celebration.

Phase 3: Women continue to be a part of our Beloved Woman community, providing encouragement and support for new women entering our program. After graduation, women join a once a month support group meeting with all former graduates for continuing community building and support.

We hope that women in our program will become Beloved Women for life, giving back to other women who are trying to make a positive change in their lives, their families, and community.

*Childcare is provided for all Beloved Woman meetings.

*The entire program is free of charge. We believe women should not have to choose between paying a bill, buying groceries, or entering a program to create a pathway to a living wage.

*We are currently in negotiation with a local lending institution to create $1000 microloans for startup expenses.

WHERE?

Downtown Chattanooga

Our office is at 2nd Presbyterian, 700 Pine Street, Chattanooga with childcare facilities. It is also the host site for our Chattanooga groups.

WHEN?

Presently, we are offering 1 year cohorts beginning in January of each year. We accept applications any time of year on our website. We officially open registration September through December of each year and review applications during that time. We conduct phone interviews and offer spots during that time frame.

Our groups range from 10 to 12 women each year and childcare is provided during meeting times.

Each group sets their meeting time together during orientation as we realize women have varying work schedules. We usually meet in the evenings.