The Cost of Doing Nothing
DeKalb County, Tennessee has an 18.6% poverty rate, 6.0% unemployment, and a severe mental health provider shortage. The Hand Up Hub can change that for $500,000.
18.6%
Poverty Rate
Data USA / U.S. Census Bureau
$48,484
Median Household Income
HomeSnacks / U.S. Census Bureau
6.0%
Unemployment Rate
Land.com / HomeSnacks
$397K
Annual Robbery Cost
CrimeGrade.org
3-11
Drug Overdose Deaths Per Year
Tennessee Department of Health
52%
of US Counties Lack a Psychiatrist
Avalere Health
What DeKalb County Pays Every Year
- $397,249 on robbery costs alone
- 18.6% of residents trapped in poverty
- 6.0% unemployment
- 3-11 families mourning drug overdose deaths
- Severe mental health provider shortage leaving residents without care
- $48,484 median household income
The Solution
The Hand Up Hub costs $500,000 to build and launch.
It reduces poverty, unemployment, crime costs, and overdose deaths in DeKalb County.
25x ROI
That is a $25 return for every $1 invested.
What The Hand Up Hub Offers
Under one roof, free and open to everyone:
- Food pantry – client-choice groceries
- Clothing closet – free clothing for all ages
- Private showers and on-site laundry
- Computer lab – job applications, benefit forms, resumes
- Community garden – fresh food, gardening skills
- Skill-building workshops – budgeting, job readiness, home repair
- Tool shed – like a library loan
- Neighbor mentor program – trained local volunteers
All services are free, private, and rooted in dignity.
How The Hub Reduces Costs
Poverty Reduction
18.6% poverty rate addressed.
When families have food, clothing, hygiene, and job training, they can keep their jobs and keep their homes.
Crime Prevention
$397,249 saved annually on robbery costs.
When families have access to basic needs, they do not resort to survival crimes.
Overdose Prevention
3-11 lives saved per year.
Isolation and hopelessness are root causes of addiction. The Hub restores dignity and hope.
Mental Health Support
Addresses the provider shortage gap.
The Hub reduces isolation through the neighbor mentor program and restores dignity through basic services.
The Ask
$500,000 to open The Hand Up Hub.
This is not a donation. This is an investment in DeKalb County's future.
$500,000 builds a Hub that:
- Reduces the 18.6% poverty rate
- Creates jobs and job training for the 6.0% unemployed
- Saves $397,249 in robbery costs annually
- Prevents 3-11 overdose deaths per year
- Provides a mental health resource for the entire county
- Gives DeKalb County residents a hand up
The Cost of Doing Nothing
If The Hand Up Hub does not open, DeKalb County will continue to pay:
- $397,249 per year in robbery costs
- 18.6% of residents trapped in poverty
- 6.0% unemployment
- 3-11 families per year mourning overdose deaths
- Severe mental health provider shortage leaving residents without care
This year. And next year. And every year after that.
