Volunteers head into homeless camps weekly. They're armed with food, resources and love. 

Volunteers head into homeless camps weekly. They're armed with food, resources and love.

East Tennessee Now is a community oriented public affairs program designed to address local problems and issues and explore possible or existing solutions. The program features community leaders, representatives of area non-profits, healthcare professionals and other experts in their respective fields.

East Tennessee Now

A Hand Up Christian Homeless Ministry

Frank Murphy interviews M. Janice Mitchell, founder, and Dr. Ace Edewards, conductor, of the Scruffy City Orchestra. A free concert celebrating the orchestra's tenth anniversary will be performed on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 711 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville. After the concert, the audience is invited to enjoy light refreshments at a free reception with the orchestra members in the Cathedral Hall. 

Scruffy City Orchestra was founded in 2015 by a small group of musicians who wanted to create a community orchestra in Knoxville, drawing volunteer members from the greater metropolitan area. In November, 2018 SCO was invited to be part of the Cathedral Concert Series at The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville.

Scruffy City Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt community orchestra which relies on the generosity of the community for its funding. Learn more at https://www.scruffycityorchestra.com/

Frank Murphy interviews M. Janice Mitchell, founder, and Dr. Ace Edewards, conductor, of the Scruffy City Orchestra. A free concert celebrating the orchestra's tenth anniversary will be performed on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 711 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville. After the concert, the audience is invited to enjoy light refreshments at a free reception with the orchestra members in the Cathedral Hall.&nbsp;
Scruffy City Orchestra was founded in 2015 by a small group of musicians who wanted to create a community orchestra in Knoxville, drawing volunteer members from the greater metropolitan area. In November, 2018 SCO was invited to be part of the Cathedral Concert Series at The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville.
Scruffy City Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt community orchestra which relies on the generosity of the community for its funding. Learn more at https://www.scruffycityorchestra.com/

Scruffy City Orchestra

Frank Murphy interviews Lindsey Shanton, executive director of  Sevier County Partners in Progress Education Foundation, and board member Robbie Fox, who is also the mayor of Sevierville. The Sevier County Partners in Progress Education Foundation is a non-profit corporation chartered by the State of Tennessee in April 2016.  The purpose of the organization is to establish a scholarship fund to be used to assist area high school students with tuition for dual enrollment classes at Walters State Community College and tuition assistance for students pursuing a four-year degree at East Tennessee State University in Sevierville. Learn more at https://seviercountypip.com/

A pancake dinner benefitting Partners in Progress will be held from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at Flapjack's Pancake Cabin, 1016 Parkway, Sevierville, TN. Tickets are available online for $6 each.

The D&S Builders Scholarship Shoot Sporting Clays Tournament benefitting Partners in Progress will be held on Friday, September 18, 2026 at Iron Mountain Sporting Clays, 410 Hardin Road, Kodak, TN. Call 865-428-2212 for details.

Frank Murphy interviews Lindsey Shanton, executive director of &nbsp;Sevier County Partners in Progress Education Foundation, and board member Robbie Fox, who is also the mayor of Sevierville. The Sevier County Partners in Progress Education Foundation is a non-profit corporation chartered by the State of Tennessee in April 2016. &nbsp;The purpose of the organization is to establish a scholarship fund to be used to assist area high school students with tuition for dual enrollment classes at Walters State Community College and tuition assistance for students pursuing a four-year degree at East Tennessee State University in Sevierville. Learn more at <a href="https://seviercountypip.com/">https://seviercountypip.com/</a>
A pancake dinner benefitting Partners in Progress will be held from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at Flapjack's Pancake Cabin, 1016 Parkway, Sevierville, TN. Tickets are available online for $6 each.
The D&amp;S Builders Scholarship Shoot Sporting Clays Tournament benefitting Partners in Progress will be held on Friday, September 18, 2026 at Iron Mountain Sporting Clays, 410 Hardin Road, Kodak, TN. Call 865-428-2212 for details.

Sevier County Partners In Progress

Frank Murphy interviews Steve Hodges and Frank Venable about the 13th Annual Shakin' Not Stirred Gala, which will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at The Venue at Lenoir City. Steve Hodges is the founder of the KiMe Cure Neurological Disorders Fund. Frank and Lisha Venable are the event hosts. Sportscaster Mark Packer will be the emcee. Tickets and information are available at https://www.parkinson.org/sns 

Steve Hodges was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease in 2009. The KiMe Fund has been successful in raising awareness and donations to fund high risk/high reward research to find a cure for Parkinson’s. 80% of funds raised will be designated towards the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech – a partnership between the Parkinson’s Foundation and Parkinson’s UK that funds high risk, high reward research conducted by biotech companies to accelerate new treatments and ideally a cure for Parkinson’s disease; 20% of funds raised by TEAM KIME will be designated for the Parkinson’s Foundation Comprehensive Care Center at University of Tennessee Knoxville. Additional information about the KiMe Fund is available at https://www.kimecnd.org/ 

Frank Murphy interviews Steve Hodges and Frank Venable about the 13th Annual Shakin' Not Stirred Gala, which will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at The Venue at Lenoir City. Steve Hodges is the founder of the KiMe Cure Neurological Disorders Fund. Frank and Lisha Venable are the event hosts. Sportscaster Mark Packer will be the emcee. Tickets and information are available at <a href="https://www.parkinson.org/sns">https://www.parkinson.org/sns</a>&nbsp;
Steve Hodges was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson&rsquo;s Disease in 2009. The KiMe Fund has been successful in raising awareness and donations to fund high risk/high reward research to find a cure for Parkinson&rsquo;s. 80% of funds raised will be designated towards the Parkinson&rsquo;s Virtual Biotech &ndash; a partnership between the Parkinson&rsquo;s Foundation and Parkinson&rsquo;s UK that funds high risk, high reward research conducted by biotech companies to accelerate new treatments and ideally a cure for Parkinson&rsquo;s disease; 20% of funds raised by TEAM KIME will be designated for the Parkinson&rsquo;s Foundation Comprehensive Care Center at University of Tennessee Knoxville. Additional information about the KiMe Fund is available at <a href="https://www.kimecnd.org/">https://www.kimecnd.org/</a>&nbsp;

A Hand Up Christian Homeless Ministry

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