AIM Center, Inc.

11/03/2025

Clubhouse member Marcy stopped by on her way to work this morning to drop off donations for her fellow members in need during the SNAP crisis. 🧡

Our emergency food drive is well under way but still has a long way to go! Will you consider helping? Here are our top items requested:

- Pasta and sauce
- Tuna and crackers
- Oatmeal and breakfast bars
- Shelf stable milk and cereals
- Rice and beans
- Canned goods (pop tops or donate a can opener too!)
- Microwavable meals (just adding water are the best!)
- Cooking Oil and Spices
- Canned Meat
- Chicken Broth
- Instant Potatoes
- Coffee or tea
- Grocery gift cards

🍎To shop our emergency food pantry Amazon list, click here: https://a.co/4ekCv7C

🍏To make a monetary donation to support the pantry instead, click here: https://aimcenterinc.app.neoncrm.com/forms/emergency-food-pantry

To those of you who have already made donations, stopped by with items or have ordered from our wish list, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much. You are making a huge difference to the 87% of our Clubhouse members who are in need right now.

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from AIM Center! 🎃

Our holiday socials are always such a special chance to pause, step away from the day-to-day, and simply enjoy being together. Today was no different! Many of us love Halloween, so of course we had a blast celebrating as a community. We’re grateful for this incredible group of people who make AIM Center what it is. 🧡

10/31/2025

10/31/2025

Yesterday we celebrated a huge milestone with our beloved community at our topping out ceremony for our latest supportive housing community, Espero.

This special day marked a pivotal point in the construction progress for this new 60-unit housing endeavor. Our friends throughout the community gathered to celebrate and sign a piece of dry wall that will be permanently hung in the communal space for the new residents who will soon move in.

We want to extend a very big thank you to all of our incredible project partners, general contractors, banking partners, supporters, advocates, Clubhouse staff, members and residents, and board of directors who have continuously stood by this project to help make it possible.

As our AIM Board Chair, Ashley Wolfe-Evans perfectly worded it yesterday, "to the people we will soon welcome into Espero Chattanooga, let me say, we can't wait to welcome you home!" 🧡

A special thank you again to:
+ The Vecino Group
+ Tennessee Housing Development Agency
+ City of Chattanooga - Government
+ Chattanooga Housing Authority
+ Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
+ Community Construction Group
+ Cadence Bank
+ RBC
+CRBT

10/29/2025

We have to talk about the looming SNAP crisis.

If you’re a longtime supporter or a new friend of the AIM Center, you likely know that our Clubhouse members are people specifically with serious mental illness (SMI). This can be anything like major depressive disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD, etc. With the holiday season quickly approaching, what is already a typically hard time for someone with an SMI is going to be even more taxing and triggering with the SNAP crisis.

🍎87% of our members are relying on SNAP to be able to thrive independently and feed themselves.

🍓Statistically speaking, for every meal that a local food pantry or food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine meals.

We ask that you please read these two stats again.

While we don’t typically ask for food donations and instead provide transportation to and from food pantries in our area for our members to supplement their needs, we know that these special pockets of support are about to be inundated with families in need.

If you’re looking for a tangible way to help people in your community that you care about, we’re asking you to consider donating a shelf stable food product, grocery gift card, make a donation directly to AIM Center in honor of our emergency food pantry, or consider “adopting” a Clubhouse member to help meet their food needs for the duration of the SNAP benefit shutdown.

We will be supporting our members and residents through this crisis however they need – we refuse to let anyone starve.

Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday 8 AM to 4 PM at our Club house main entrance at 472 West MLK Blvd. Chattanooga TN 37402.

If you’d prefer to shop or give online, we’ve set up a special Amazon wish list that will ship directly to us or you can give through a special giving form, both are linked below in the comments section.

All donations will go directly to AIM Center members and residents in need from this SNAP crisis. Should the crisis be lifted, food items will be utilized in our pantry and kitchen to continue benefiting members, and monetary donations will continue to support Clubhouse programming. As our friends at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank have put it perfectly, “the ripple effects of the shutdown will strain families and the charitable food network through the holidays and beyond.”

We appreciate each and every one of you out there who is willing to support our Clubhouse during this challenging time. 🧡

10/23/2025

We had such a great time this past weekend showcasing some of our talented member artists at the Hamilton County Health Department’s Healing through Art event!

If you know anything about AIM Center, you know that art plays a vital role in many of our members’ mental health recovery journeys. We’re proud to have an incredibly gifted community of artists, and several of them were featured at this event. Those who attended had a wonderful time connecting with other artists and community partners.

We also had many visitors stop by our resource table to learn more about AIM Center and our mission to support adults in Chattanooga living with serious mental illness. All in all, it was a beautiful day, and we were honored to be part of it. 🧡

10/21/2025

Everyone needs a reason to eat Chipotle, and we’ve got a great one for you! 😋

Tomorrow, AIM Center is partnering with the Chipotle on Northshore for a delicious fundraiser in support of our mission. When you dine in and show this flyer, or order online using code VQ8MDQH, 25% of your order will be donated back to AIM Center.

Please note that this fundraiser is valid only at the downtown Chattanooga Chipotle located at 20 Cherokee Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 37405.

Whether you’re craving a burrito as big as your head or feeling guac-tastic, every bite helps support mental health recovery right here in Chattanooga. 🧡

10/18/2025

Don’t forget, there’s still time to RSVP and let us know you’ll be joining us for our Espero Topping Out Party! 🎉

Join us on Thursday, October 30th at the Espero site to celebrate this exciting milestone for AIM Center’s new supportive housing community. Espero will provide safe, affordable housing and vital mental health support for individuals in our community who need it most.

Come see the progress for yourself, enjoy some great food, and take part in a special moment as attendees will have the chance to sign the final truss before it’s placed! 🧡

We’re so proud of this journey and can’t wait to celebrate it with our community. The event is free to attend, but we’d love to know if you’re coming! RSVP here: bit.ly/AIMTopperParty

10/15/2025

With a dedicated and hardworking community like AIM Center’s, there’s always something to celebrate! 🥳

Last week, several of us had the privilege of attending the Chattanooga Area Employment Consortium luncheon and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon in great company. This annual event celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month and reminds us that hiring individuals with different abilities isn’t just about taking a chance or simply doing the right thing — it’s smart business. These employees strengthen workplaces, contribute valuable skills, and bring incredible dedication to everything they do.

Even more exciting, several AIM Center members who are pursuing their employment goals through our IPS program were nominated for their outstanding work ethic and commitment. We couldn’t be prouder! 🧡

10/14/2025

Last week was Culture Week at AIM Center, and our clubhouse was full of connection, joy, and some truly delicious food! 😋

Our Inclusivity Community wanted to celebrate the many cultures that make up our amazing clubhouse, and what better way to do that than through food? Members shared dishes from their own cultural backgrounds, cooked together, and served lunch each day throughout the week.

We enjoyed flavors and traditions from Hispanic/Latine, Haitian, Southern, Cherokee, African, Jewish, and Italian cultures. Every meal brought new tastes, stories, and smiles as we learned more about one another and celebrated what makes our community so special. 🧡

At AIM Center, we believe that belonging starts with connection. Culture Week was a wonderful reminder that our differences are something to celebrate and that together, we make this clubhouse feel like home! 🏡

10/13/2025

We’re grateful to live and work on land originally cared for by the Muskogee, Yuchi, and Cherokee peoples. Their stewardship and connection to this land continue to guide us in building community and hope. 🧡

Today we celebrate and honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognizing the strength, resilience, and enduring cultures of Indigenous communities.

10/10/2025

Today we join the world in recognizing World Mental Health Day. 🎗

At AIM Center, we know that true mental health recovery doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in community, through shared purpose, mutual respect, and real opportunities to thrive.

The Clubhouse model works because it focuses on what people can do. Members and staff work side by side, building skills, pursuing education, finding employment, and securing housing. It’s a place where goals are achieved through connection, inclusion, and belonging.

Every success story here chips away at the stigma surrounding mental illness. Every member who finds a job, a home, or a sense of purpose helps redefine what recovery can look like. 🧡

If you know someone who could benefit from being part of a supportive community like ours, we invite you to reach out and learn more about AIM Center. Together, we can continue breaking down stigma and creating a place where everyone has the chance to succeed.