Made Alive

Resources / Find resources

Resources in Tennessee

75 listings. Please call ahead — hours and services change.

Adoption

Free / Subsidized Childcare

  • Douglas-Cherokee Economic Authority — Head Start and Early Head Start

    Federal Head Start and Early Head Start for income-eligible children ages 0-5 in eight East Tennessee counties; apply online.

  • Metropolitan Action Commission — Head Start and Early Head Start

    Davidson County's largest early education provider for children 0-5: infant care and preschool at seven Nashville centres for income-eligible families, plus support for pregnant women's prenatal care and a whole-family approach.

  • Porter-Leath — Early Head Start and Head Start

    Early Head Start for pregnant women and families with children birth to three in Shelby County with income at or below the federal poverty guidelines (centre-based or weekly home visits), plus Head Start centres across Memphis.

  • Head Start & Early Head Start

    Nationwide

    Free preschool, child care and family support for eligible families. Find a program near you online or by phone (Mon–Fri 8–6 ET).

Churches / Baby Closets

  • Hope Clinic for Women

    Nashville clinic offering pregnancy services and ultrasound, plus the Bridge Parenting Program: monthly gatherings through your baby's second birthday with a gift each time, and access to the Bridge Baby Nook of essential baby supplies. Men's services too.

  • Portico

    Free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and support in Murfreesboro and on a mobile unit. Parenting classes earn Baby Bucks for its Baby Boutique: diapers, wipes, baby clothes, car seats, formula and more at no cost.

Clothing / Supplies

  • Birth Choice Pregnancy Clinic

    Pregnancy medical clinic in Jackson and Gibson County where clients earn 'Mommy Money' and 'Daddy Dollars' to 'purchase' maternity and baby items (sleepers, outfits, care items and more) from its resource rooms.

  • Hope Clinic for Women

    Nashville clinic offering pregnancy services and ultrasound, plus the Bridge Parenting Program: monthly gatherings through your baby's second birthday with a gift each time, and access to the Bridge Baby Nook of essential baby supplies. Men's services too.

  • Portico

    Free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and support in Murfreesboro and on a mobile unit. Parenting classes earn Baby Bucks for its Baby Boutique: diapers, wipes, baby clothes, car seats, formula and more at no cost.

Domestic Violence

Employment

  • Dress for Success Chattanooga

    Interview attire through partner referral agencies and programs for women seeking work.

  • Dress for Success Memphis

    Interview attire through partner referral agencies, job training and a career centre for women.

  • Dress for Success Nashville

    Interview attire through partner referral agencies and career workshops for women.

  • Goodwill Middle Tennessee — Career Solutions

    Job training programs, career coaching, job fairs and hiring events, career centres and a mobile career centre across Middle Tennessee.

  • Tennessee American Job Centers

    Statewide

    Find your local American Job Center (or a mobile centre) for job search help, career exploration and training programs.

  • American Job Centers (CareerOneStop)

    Nationwide

    Free local help with job searches, training and career services. Find your nearest American Job Center online or by phone.

  • Dress for Success

    Nationwide

    Professional clothing and career support for women. Find your local Dress for Success on the website.

  • Easterseals — Employment Services

    Nationwide

    Job training and employment support for people with disabilities through local Easterseals affiliates.

  • Goodwill Career Centers

    Nationwide

    Free job training, career coaching, résumé and interview help at local Goodwill career centers.

Potential Financial Assistance

  • Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville — Emergency Assistance

    Short-term emergency assistance, based on available funding, for individuals and families in Middle Tennessee experiencing a personal crisis or disaster.

  • The Salvation Army — Kentucky and Tennessee Division

    Statewide

    Emergency utility, mortgage and rent assistance to help families struggling with basic bills stay in their homes; local teams assess each family's needs.

  • Catholic Charities USA (Find a Local Agency)

    Nationwide

    Find the Catholic Charities agency serving your area for emergency, family and housing help.

  • Modest Needs

    Nationwide

    Small one-time grants for working individuals and families facing an emergency expense. Apply online.

  • Society of St. Vincent de Paul

    Nationwide

    Parish volunteers who help neighbors in need. The national office does not give direct help: ask your nearest Catholic parish for its St. Vincent de Paul conference.

  • The Salvation Army

    Nationwide

    Emergency rent, utility and other assistance through local Salvation Army offices nationwide.

Food Programs

Health Assistance

Housing Assistance & Shelters

  • Nashville Rescue Mission

    Christian mission sheltering men, women and children experiencing homelessness in Nashville, with programs addressing the whole person: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and social.

  • Room In The Inn

    Nashville hospitality for people experiencing homelessness: a winter shelter programme with congregations during the coldest months, plus essential services and community programs.

  • Family Promise

    Nationwide

    Prevention, shelter and housing help for families facing homelessness, through nearly 200 local affiliates. Find yours on the website.

Infant & Baby Equipment

  • Helping Mamas Knoxville

    East Tennessee baby supply bank working through nonprofit and healthcare partners: its Nursery Needs Program supplies diapers, wipes, car seats, strollers and safe sleep items in a baby's first four months, and a mobile unit brings essentials to neighborhoods (see its distribution calendar).

Mental Health & Postpartum Assistance

  • Nurse-Family Partnership — Tennessee

    Statewide

    A registered nurse visits expectant parents at home during pregnancy and the child's first years, about two and a half years in all. Tennessee programs are run by Erlanger (Chattanooga), Northeast Tennessee NFP and Le Bonheur (Memphis). Nurse-Family Partnership is now run by Changent.

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    Nationwide

    Call or text 988 any time if you are in crisis.

  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline

    Nationwide

    Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA, free and confidential, for support before, during and after pregnancy.

  • Postpartum Support International HelpLine

    Nationwide

    Support and local resources for postpartum depression and anxiety.

Parenting Classes

  • Families Matter — Family Programs and Classes

    Educational programs and classes that strengthen Memphis families, including Connections: Relationships & Marriage.

  • Porter-Leath — Early Head Start Home Visiting

    Weekly home visits (monthly for prenatal families) with one-on-one parenting education, counseling and referrals for income-eligible pregnant women and families with children under three in Shelby County.

  • Parents as Teachers

    Nationwide

    Free home visiting and parent education for expecting families and parents of young children, through local affiliates.

  • Triple P – Positive Parenting Program

    Nationwide

    Self-paced online parenting courses (also in Spanish). Many states and local agencies offer them free.

Pregnancy Centers

  • Hope Clinic for Women

    Nashville clinic offering pregnancy services and ultrasound, plus the Bridge Parenting Program: monthly gatherings through your baby's second birthday with a gift each time, and access to the Bridge Baby Nook of essential baby supplies. Men's services too.

  • Portico

    Free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and support in Murfreesboro and on a mobile unit. Parenting classes earn Baby Bucks for its Baby Boutique: diapers, wipes, baby clothes, car seats, formula and more at no cost.

  • Pregnancy Resource Center (Blount County)

    Free pregnancy medical clinic in Maryville (and Sevierville): pregnancy testing, ultrasound examinations and STI testing, with support before, during and after your pregnancy.

  • American Pregnancy Association

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential pregnancy helpline and a search for local pregnancy centers, adoption agencies and maternity homes.

  • Care Net Pregnancy Decision Line

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential pregnancy decision coaching by phone, and a map of 1,200+ affiliated pregnancy centers.

  • Heartbeat International (Worldwide Directory of Pregnancy Help)

    Nationwide

    Search 7,000+ life-affirming pregnancy help locations by state, city or ZIP.

  • Option Line

    Nationwide

    Call or text 24/7 to talk about a pregnancy and be connected with a pregnancy center near you.

Special Needs Assistance

  • Easterseals Tennessee

    Services for people with disabilities in Tennessee, including early intervention for children and autism therapy (ABA) centres.

  • Family Voices of Tennessee (Tennessee Disability Coalition)

    Statewide

    Emotional and educational support for families of children with special health care needs, and Tennessee's Family-to-Family Health Information Center for navigating health care systems.

  • Tennessee Disability Coalition

    Statewide

    Statewide coalition working to improve the lives of Tennesseans with disabilities through advocacy and programs, including Family Voices of Tennessee.

  • The Arc Tennessee

    Statewide

    Statewide advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, with 15 local chapters providing direct services.

  • TNSTEP (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents)

    Statewide

    Statewide nonprofit (since 1989) helping parents of children and youth from birth to 26 with disabilities, special health care, mental health or behavioral needs: IEP and special education support, plus free workshops and webinars.

  • Easterseals

    Nationwide

    Services for children and adults with disabilities and their families. Find your local Easterseals affiliate.

  • Parent to Parent USA

    Nationwide

    Matches parents of children with disabilities or special health needs with a trained support parent. Find your state program on the map.

  • The Arc

    Nationwide

    Support and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, through 549 chapters.

Support for Fathers

  • Families Matter — Fatherhood

    Christian Memphis ministry equipping and encouraging men to be great dads and build healthy families, including its AFIRM program for fathers.

  • National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

    Nationwide

    Resources for dads from a national clearinghouse funded by HHS’s Office of Family Assistance.

Transportation

  • TennCare — Non-Emergency Medical Transportation

    Statewide

    TennCare members without transportation can schedule rides to any TennCare-covered service; call the number for your health plan listed on this page, ideally at least two business days ahead.

  • Family Promise

    Nationwide

    Local Family Promise affiliates help families facing homelessness, including gas cards, transit passes and car-related help where available.

  • Medicaid rides to medical appointments (NEMT)

    Nationwide

    Medicaid covers free rides to covered appointments for members with no other way to get there. Call your Medicaid health plan, ideally two days ahead.