Project #1: Be a Santa to a Senior (Home Instead Knoxville)
Be a Santa to a Senior, is now in its 20th year, this Home Instead® tradition helps spread joy and connection to older adults who could use a little extra cheer. Since launching the program, we’ve delivered more than 2.5 million gifts across North America—thanks to our amazing volunteers, local businesses, and community partners.

Project #2: Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom, Culture & Community (Knoxville Black Community & Power (Deaf Community Organization))
Knoxville Black Community & Power (KBCP) seeks funding to host our second annual Juneteenth celebration. This celebration is dedicated to honoring African American history, celebrating freedom and resilience, and fostering unity within Knoxville's Deaf community. Our celebration brings together Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and hearing individuals for an enriching experience centered on education, cultural awareness, empowerment, and community connection. We aim to create a welcoming space through guest speakers, personal stories, and shared experiences where Black Deaf voices and perspectives are recognized and celebrated. Our inaugural celebration featured four speakers with diverse backgrounds and experiences, including a mother of two Deaf sons, a Deaf football coach and former athlete, a Deaf scientist, and a hearing interpreter who authored a children's book featuring songs in American Sign Language (ASL). We hope to build on the success of our first event, and expand the celebration's impact by welcoming additional speakers, encouraging broader community participation, and providing refreshments that create opportunities for fellowship and meaningful connections.

Project #3: Helping Hands (Christian Blessing House)
We are a faith-based transitional living housing. We are hosting a Helping Hands music fest. We are having food, music, raffles and guest speakers talking about the Recovery community and what impact transitional living can have on a person trying to fight addiction.

Project #4: Vintage to Visionary: Celebrating 50 Years of Service to the Deaf Community (Knoxville Center of the Deaf Gala Committee)
In 2027, Knoxville Center of the Deaf (KCD) will celebrate a remarkable milestone: 50 years of service, advocacy, education, and community connection throughout East Tennessee. To commemorate this anniversary, KCD will host a gala to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Vintage to Visionary, on April 10, 2027. This special evening will honor the organization's history, celebrate its impact, and inspire a vision for the next 50 years of Deaf empowerment and inclusion. As part of this celebration, the Gala Committee hopes to welcome Neil McDevitt, Mayor of North Wales, Pennsylvania, as our keynote speaker. In addition to his public service, McDevitt serves as Executive Director of the Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre in the Philadelphia area and brings valuable experience in nonprofit leadership, advocacy, and accessibility. His participation would provide a unique opportunity for attendees to hear from an accomplished Deaf leader whose experiences reflect the values and mission KCD has championed since 1977. The proceeds from the gala will directly support KCD's ongoing programs and services, which help to advance our mission of breaking down communication barriers and building a more inclusive community.