clients
welcoming
Show respect for all men (treat them honorably). Love the brotherhood. Reverence God.
1 Peter 2:17
you are welome
at Good Shepherd Center. We are honored to be able to help our Monroe County neighbors during stressful and challenging times. Please review our guidelines for becoming a Good Shepherd Client to request specific food, clothing, household goods and services you and your family may need.
Please see our Services for types of available help for our clients.
How else can we help?
If you do not see goods or a service that answers a specific need, please ask and we will work to find a resource that might fit the need.
Client Eligibility
- Monroe County Residents Only
- Proof of Need – Financial information
- Household Adults (number unemployed)
New Clients will meet with an in-take Volunteer to input information into the Center’s system. At each visit, registered Clients are required to verify that information on record is up to date.
All Client information is kept confidential.
If you have any questions, please call
423-420-2888.
Proof of Monroe County Residency
any listed or other form of ID with address
- Utility bill with address
- Driver’s license
- Voter’s registration
- SSI or SS statement with address
Proof of Need – Financial Information
any below that apply to your situation
We trust our Clients. And we want to help in the ways that best meet those needs. If you can provide any of the paperwork below, that would be helpful to us to assess your current situation.
This kind of information also helps us in our audits and qualifying for government agency and non-profit agencies resources so we can do even more for our clients. If you do not have paperwork for proof of need, please still call or come to Good Shepherd Center and let us determine how we can help you.
- Current paycheck stub or banking statement
- Current proof of unemployment
- Current pension statement
- Prior Year SSI Statement
- Prior Year Social Security Statement
- Prior Year Family First Statement (AFDC)
- Prior Year SNAP Statement
- Note from relative providing any monthly assistance
Monthly Expenses Summary
any that apply to you with statements, if available
- Rent or Mortgage Statement
- Taxes
- Home Insurance
- Utility bill
- Landline phone bill
- Cell phone bill
- Car payment
- Car insurance
- Credit card
- Loans/Note
- Cable TV/Satellite
- Internet
Building Access Regulations
- Present your Good Shepherd Center Client ID card to check-in. New Clients will be issued an ID.
- Only three Clients at a time are able to enter the building to be served for a specific time.
- Children are not allowed in the building due to the confined space.
If your ID has been lost or stolen, let the check-in Volunteer know so another one can be issued.
blessing story
Louise
My father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10
“If you have God, you have everything,” is the soul deep belief of Louise, a Client of Good Shepherd Center. Over 20 years ago, Louise moved from a bigger city in East Tennessee to Monroe County and learned of the good work of the Center from a friend who asked her to volunteer and help her unload a food truck. Through her church, Louise was already helping feed the sick and elderly and serving women escaping domestic abuse with short-term housing in her home. She qualified for help from Good Shepherd Center just from her own economic circumstances, but was inspired to accept gifts of food and clothing on behalf of the women she was sheltering and folks she was feeding out of her own pocket.
Five Loaves. Two fishes.
“Pride can keep people from accepting help. We know that,” Louise admits. “And I was prideful about help at first. Others need help, but not me! I’ll manage,” she laughs. “But help on behalf of someone else? That was something I could accept.” She laughs again, “I would start cooking a meal and watch it suddenly multiply – enough to feed everyone at my table.” Louise was humbled to be able to do even more for others without embarrassment.
She also admits her deep faith in the Lord was a stumbling block to getting help for herself and her elderly mother whom she also cares for. “I do know God will provide for me. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” But she didn’t want accepting help to hurt her witness that she trusted her Heavenly Father.
Love one another.
“But then I watched The Center follow God’s command to love your neighbor and take care of widows and orphans. I watched them serve others with kindness and respect. Everyone. I have never seen them be anything but sweet and kind, even with folks who come in disturbed or agitated.”
When Louise became disabled and couldn’t work, she welcomed the Center’s services to help meet her own and her mother’s needs. With constantly rising food and clothing costs, Louise happily admits it is a blessing to be able to get fresh fruits and vegetables that she can’t afford at the store, as her own garden has gotten smaller as she has gotten older and disabled. Or, a real help to get a new-to-you pair of slacks.
“I feel like Good Shepherd Center is the perfect way for people to give back and love others. During the pandemic when churches were closed, people couldn’t assemble to worship and tithe. But the Center’s ministry became another way to come together and donate and tithe.”
“I’ve changed my mind about the stigma of receiving help. The truth is you don’t know what tomorrow can bring. Something life-changing can happen to anyone, at any time. Someone there, ready to help you, is simply God’s blessing.”
Good Shepherd Center is committed to never turn away anyone in need.
However, we reserve the right to refuse service to those who do not show demonstrated need according to our guidelines, or exhibit behavior that breaks our Center’s policies.