Families Free

09/18/2026

✨ YOU GAVE. HERE’S WHAT YOU MADE POSSIBLE. ✨

At The Art of Renewal, our community came together for more than a beautiful evening. You came together to support recovery, strengthen families, and create opportunities for second chances.

Through our Fund-A-Need and Live Auction, every paddle raised represented something bigger — support for the real, everyday needs that help individuals and families move forward.

Your generosity helps Families Free provide:
🏠 Safe, stable housing for women, children, and individuals rebuilding their lives
🚐 Transportation to treatment, appointments, work, court, and other essential services
❤️ Treatment and recovery support for individuals working toward long-term stability
👩‍👧 Services that help keep families together and strengthen the relationship between parents and children
🤝 Practical support that helps remove barriers as people work toward independence

So, who is Families Free?
We are a Northeast Tennessee nonprofit serving individuals and families impacted by substance use, involvement with the justice system, and other significant life challenges.

But what we really do is help people build a life in recovery — one where families can heal, parents can be present, individuals can become productive members of their communities, and hope can take root again.

To everyone who raised a paddle, bid in our auction, sponsored the event, donated an item, or simply showed up to support this work:
This is what you were giving to.
And we are so grateful you chose to be part of it.
Families Free | We heal in community.

09/11/2026

🇺🇸 We Will Never Forget.

Today, we pause to remember September 11, 2001—a day that forever changed our nation.

We remember the lives lost, the families who were forever changed, and the first responders, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and ordinary people who showed extraordinary courage and selflessness in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

More than two decades later, we continue to honor their lives and their legacy.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget. 🤍

09/10/2026

🤍 Family. Hope. Restoration.

There is something incredibly powerful about bringing families together—and even more powerful when those families get to witness the hope and transformation that comes through recovery.

Our Men’s Residential Recovery Program at Roan Mountain recently welcomed our residents’ families and children for a special Family Day. Together, they shared a meal, spent time reconnecting, laughed, encouraged one another, and made memories that will last far beyond the day.

One of the most meaningful parts of the day was hearing from several of our program graduates, who came back to share about the success they are experiencing since completing the program. Their stories were a beautiful reminder that recovery is possible and that the work being done today can lead to a completely different tomorrow.

We were also honored to welcome Judge Lawrence Scott Shults, Criminal Court Judge for Tennessee’s 1st Judicial District, and his family. We are incredibly grateful that they took the time to visit our residents, share in the day, and offer words of encouragement and support. His presence meant so much to the men in our program.

It was a beautiful day filled with full tables, joyful children, meaningful conversations, encouragement, and reminders of why this work matters so deeply.

Recovery doesn’t just change one life. It has the power to restore families, strengthen communities, and create a new legacy for generations to come.

We are grateful for every family member, graduate, community leader, and friend who continues to show up and believe in the possibility of renewal.

09/08/2026

✨ A little creativity, a lot of laughter, and a whole lot of fun! 🎨👐

Our Johnson City & Kingsport teams recently spent the day getting their hands in the clay, letting their creativity run wild, enjoying some delicious refreshments, and—most importantly—enjoying each other’s company!

Days like this are a wonderful reminder that the work we do is important, but so is taking time to connect, laugh, create, and simply enjoy being together. We’re grateful for the incredible people who make up our team and for the joy they bring to the work we do every day!

A huge thank you to Made on Elk at Crossroads Craftworks for helping us create such a fun and memorable experience! We loved getting to play, create, and make something with our own hands.

Thank you for helping our team slow down, have fun, and make a few memories along the way!

09/07/2026

09/04/2026

Our offices will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day. We’ll resume normal business hours on Tuesday, September 8th.

09/02/2026

🌿 Love looks a lot like this. 🤍

We are so grateful for First Christian Church, Johnson City and the love they poured into our apartments for women and children through the Love JC Project!

Love JC is a beautiful collaboration of churches coming together to love and serve our community in practical, tangible ways—and we are so thankful that our housing was one of the places blessed by their generosity.

Their team spent the day getting their hands dirty—cleaning up, pulling w**ds, planting perennial bushes, and pouring their time, energy, and sweat into making this space feel even more welcoming, comfortable, and like home. 🌱🏡

What may look like landscaping to some is so much more to us. It’s creating a beautiful and peaceful environment where women and children can feel safe, cared for, and at home as they walk through seasons of healing and renewal.

To everyone who gave their time, energy, and hard work: thank you! Thank you for showing up with willing hearts and hardworking hands. Every w**d pulled, every bush planted, and every drop of sweat was an act of love—and we are incredibly grateful.

Thank you for helping us create spaces where hope can grow. 🌿🤍

08/28/2026

✨ The Art of Renewal - What a Night! ✨
Our hearts are incredibly full after last night’s Families Free "Art of Renewal" fundraiser.

Against the beautiful backdrop of the East Tennessee mountains, our community came together for an evening filled with friendship, generosity, laughter, and—most importantly—hope.

To every guest who joined us, every sponsor and donor who supported us, every person who raised a paddle, bid on an auction item, volunteered their time, or simply came to learn more about our mission: thank you. 💙

Your generosity reaches far beyond one beautiful evening.

We are also incredibly grateful for our Families Free team, Board of Directors, community partners, and friends who worked behind the scenes to make this evening possible.

08/27/2026

As we continue to honor Dolly Parton’s legacy, we’re reminded that her greatest impact goes far beyond her music.

Her kindness, generosity, and unwavering commitment to giving back have touched countless lives.

Thank you, Dolly, for showing us that a generous heart can leave a lasting legacy. 🦋

08/26/2026

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