Rooted in Love: 3 Incredible Williamson County Organizations that Support Women in Need
There are an abundance of organizations across Williamson County, Tennessee that do the good work of uplifting our community and serving its people. As we consider places where help is most crucially needed, we know that there are unique, specific challenges faced by women, both around the world and within our small corner of it. With this reality in mind, it’s incredibly important to celebrate organizations that champion and care for women who are in vulnerable positions. Three of the most remarkable nonprofits in our county are doing just that, serving our neighbors in need of extra compassion and support. Follow along to find out more about these wonderful organizations: what they do, who they serve, and how you can get involved.
Healing Housing
Healing Housing is a comprehensive program for women recovering from drug and alcohol addiction that don’t have financial resources. Many of the women arrive at Healing Housing from recovery programs or incarceration facilities, and have experienced trauma, violence, and poverty. As many face homelessness, Healing Housing provides refuge in a love-filled environment, while providing resources to help women along paths of sobriety, financial stability, and health.
The program began in 2017 as a housing facility, and has now grown into a full range of services that help support women seeking recovery. Founder Olivia Smith took notice of the lack of services in Williamson County for women coming out of addiction, many of whom don’t have the financial means to pursue recovery housing and programming necessary to aid in prolonged sobriety and stability. Between 2015 and 2017, a team of directors and volunteers was assembled in order to meet this need. Due to tireless effort and the support of donors, Healing Housing opened its doors as the first nonprofit in Williamson County to offer recovery housing for women across Middle Tennessee. Services provided to each women include safe, stable residence (at no cost for the first 9 weeks), groceries and essentials, transportation, case management, psychiatric care, weekly therapy, medical and dental care, career and vocational training, topical workshops, and relapse prevention. Healing Housing is a female-specific, housing first program, built on the conviction that true healing begins in a safe and loving home environment.
Weighing in on the need for recovery housing specifically for women, Executive Director Tracey Levine shared, “early on we recognized that in mixed gender Intensive Outpatient (IOP) settings, our participants were really just checking a box in terms of meeting Healing Housing requirements. After consulting with an addiction specialist we participated in training to incorporate female specific IOP that addressed the trauma, pain, and triggers that unaddressed, keep women cycling in and out of treatment. The women expressed that the IOP really set the stage for healing. Thanks to funding from the Opioid Abatement Council, we were able to expand our IOP and offer it at no charge, to our greater community.”
“Our IOP provides essential support for women in recovery by offering a structured environment where they can develop the tools and coping strategies necessary to overcome addiction,” added Andrea Hancock, Lead Program Coordinator. “This level of care bridges the gap between inpatient treatment and independent living, helping women rebuild self-esteem, address trauma, and learn healthier ways to manage emotions. The skills and relationships fostered in IOP significantly increase the chances of long-term recovery, empowering women to lead fulfilling, substance free lives.”
If you’d like to contribute to Healing Housing’s cause, there are several ways to get connected. Members of the Healing Housing Lightkeepers Club provide ongoing, monthly financial support to the program in order to meet the needs of residents. Members of the Lightkeepers Club also get regular updates and are invited—in advance—to special events. On average, a $50 donation provides a resident of Healing Housing with 2 nights of essential refuge and care.
If you’d like to give your time, there are several ways to volunteer at Healing Housing. Needs include marketing outreach, transportation, supply drives, event/activity support, facility maintenance, and regular food inventory/meal planning. Healing Housing also has a program called Love Notes, in which volunteers are encouraged to write healing notes of encouragement to program residents, many of whom are subject to loneliness and isolation during crucial moments of their recovery. Other ways to help include participating in donation programs and shopping initiatives. Due to the confidential nature of the program, keep in mind that many of the volunteer opportunities do not include direct interaction with Healing Housing residents. Volunteer opportunities that do involve direct contact require training. Healing Housing also hosts an annual Love fundraiser. This year’s program, “Behind the Healing,” took place on April 1, 2025.
Bridges Domestic Violence Center
Bridges Domestic Violence Center is the only domestic violence shelter in Williamson County, Tennessee. The nonprofit provides help for women, men, and children who are victims of domestic violence. Through a team of highly qualified advocates, Bridges provides emergency shelter and resources to help survivors and their loved ones pursue healing and independence. Services include transitional housing, crisis intervention, case management, child advocacy, court advocacy, community awareness and resources, support groups, bi-lingual advocacy in the Spanish language, education, and pet boarding/care. Their services are free of charge for anyone who has experienced domestic abuse of any kind.
Bridges was founded in 1998 by Linda Crockett, and in the 27 years since the organization has served over 40,000 people in Williamson County, with the goal of breaking cycles of violence within the home. In 2017, the team at Bridges noticed the need for transitional housing for families escaping domestic abuse through the center. The Door Step Project was created to meet that need. The organization currently has 2 homes, and has the goal of 6 properties to provide housing for survivors. Although Bridges and The Door Step Project are separate entities, there is a formal collaboration agreement between the organizations. During the year lease provided by Door Step, tenants meet with an advocate monthly, who supports them on their journey to independence.
“Door Step works with Bridges to support victims of domestic violence. Many get to the point where they get through the court battles and then don’t have anywhere to go. The Door Step Project was created to help them take that next step, providing them with a 1 year lease. We know it’s important for survivors to stay in their community and around their support systems. It’s not right to make a victim leave. They need to stay around their families, friends, schools, and churches. Being away from support is another form of oppression,” shared Crockett.
Bridges Domestic Violence Center also has a 24-hour crisis hotline that can be reached at 615-599-5777, providing judgement-free intervention and assistance. Additionally, Bridges has a blog on their website, through which you can learn more about domestic violence realities, signs, and healing agents. The organization believes in the restorative power of stories, and shares the testimonies of survivors of domestic violence, who courageously spoke out in order to further the mission of hope and show other victims that they are not alone in their experience.
While domestic violence can affect people regardless of age, gender, and walk of life, women are disproportionately impacted, at about 85%. Through outreach resources, Bridges is committed to helping survivors navigate the complicated and often dangerous realities of escaping from domestic violence. These resources include free and confidential support groups with online or in-person options. Child care is provided during in-person groups. There is also a support group specifically for children who have experienced domestic abuse. For more information on support groups, contact the program at 615-764-9536 or alinan@bridgesdvc.org. Other important outreach includes education and assistance regarding the court process, a daunting challenge that many face while escaping from domestic violence situations. Through the outreach programs, Bridges equips victims for what comes next by providing guides and answering questions regarding the criminal justice process, with specific emphasis on the day-to-day operation of the Williamson County General Sessions Court.
Due to the efforts of donors and volunteers, Bridges is able to make an incredible difference in the lives of those in need in Williamson County. If you’re interested in volunteering in any capacity—organization events, fundraisers, service projects, etcetera—download and fill-out their volunteer application and send it via email to christinep@bridgesdvc.org. Some needs include administrative work, crisis line, transportation, children’s support group, events/community activities, donation pick-ups, fundraising, moving, and maintenance. Monetary donations can be made through the organization website, where goods such as cookbooks and lavender products can also be purchased in support of the organization. You can also donate new or gently used clothing, furniture, and household items on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month in the parking lot of the Franklin Community Center (129 West Fowlkes St. Franklin, TN) from noon to 1 p.m. Incredible support is also provided through Bridges’ annual fundraising events: Jokers and Jackpots Annual Gala and Bridges Annual Golf Scramble, coming up on May 12, 2025.
Oak Cottage for Women
The Oak Cottage for Women is a safe, residential home for women transitioning back into society after being in the Tennessee State prison system. The care provided is compassionate and faith-based, with the goal of helping residents in their spiritual, vocational, and emotional walks as they re-enter life outside of prison. Oak Cottage meets a huge need, as formerly incarcerated women often have nowhere to go after being released. Likewise, if a woman is granted parole, the Department of Correction will not allow her to be released until a proper home is established. Given the circumstances of imprisonment, many women have limited options and many, unfortunately, end up homeless or falling back into the behaviors that led to their imprisonment.
With these realities in mind, Oak Cottage’s residential program steps in to provide shelter and a loving environment for women coming out of the prison system, many of whom reenter society with only the clothes on their back. The program provides essential care: clothes, food, transportation, counseling, dental care, and job training. After completing the Oak Cottage program, women are allowed to stay in the residence for up to a year, and encouraged to transition back into life in their communities. After 23 years of volunteering in the Tennessee Prison for Women, founder and Executive Director Judy Felts saw the need for transitional housing that was on the Department of Correction approved list.
“We are the only houses in Williamson County that are on the Department of Correction approved list that is able to house women on parole or probation,” shared Felts. “We help them get their lives back together. The women in our program stay very busy. They have jobs and take classes. Some are in college. We work with the whole person. And once they leave our program, they are lifetime alumni.”
Oak Cottage is a faith-based organization, and its name is inspired by the biblical passage of Isaiah 61, which proclaims that those who are brokenhearted will be someday be called “oaks of righteousness.” Felts spoke to this foundation, saying, “We want our women to be planted and rooted, and to grow in all aspects of their lives. We want them to know they are known and loved and that God is at work through them.”
In 2018, Oak Cottage partnered with the Community Housing Partnership of Williamson County for approval to purchase and renovate a home. In 2020, the dream became reality, as Oak Cottage opened its first home on West Fowlkes St. in Downtown Franklin. Because of its place on the Department of Correction approved list, the application for the home is available to women in the prison system throughout the state of Tennessee. In 2022, Oak Cottage opened a second home on South Berry’s Chapel in Franklin. During the 6-month program, residents of these properties attend classes 5 days a week that cover addiction recovery, conflict resolution, budgeting, Bible study, and more. The goal is to grow women in strength and dignity as they step into their futures.
To volunteer at Oak Cottage, contact Judy Felts at 615-403-6324. Areas where volunteers are needed include mentoring, transportation, community dinners, helping with clothes/household goods, and education. Volunteer teachers get the opportunity to teach in-house lessons including but not limited to topics like parenting, Bible study, etiquette, budgeting, cooking, and art. To provide additional help to residents, Oak Cottage has an ongoing need for toiletries, cleaning and laundry supplies, clothing, new household items, laptop computers, and Franklin Transit Trolley Tickets. Online donations are also welcome through the website. In addition to these initiatives, Oak Cottage hosts regular events that support the program, such as songwriter’s nights and their annual spring benefit, hosted this year on April 22, 2025.
Women Helping Women
Addressing suffering in our world is often overwhelming and disheartening. Especially in a time where we have constant accessibility to heartbreaking news, it can be difficult to know where to start in the mission of helping others. Nonetheless, healing starts in our communities. It is important not only to remind ourselves of the good work that is being done both near and far from home, but to participate in it.
Organizations like Healing Housing, Bridges Domestic Violence Center, and Oak Cottage for Women meet the specific and individual needs of Tennessee women, ultimately fostering restoration in our community and beyond. The impact of their work speaks for itself, echoing hope despite the realities of tragedy and hardship. For more ways to love and serve your neighbors here in Middle Tennessee, there are many volunteer opportunities and ways to seek community involvement. Ultimately, the goal is to lift one another up, and to meet needs within our sphere of influence. We are proud to share the stories of the organizations in our community that are actively doing just that, proving that love is alive and well here in Williamson County.
