Jenny Boyd Keys of Hope Women's Program

YWCA's Jenny Boyd Keys of Hope Women's Program has been a home and safe space for women in need for nearly a century. Women come to the YWCA for a variety of reasons and with a variety of needs. Whatever the reason for a woman's stay, the program's goal is to provide affordable housing in a safe environment with supportive services that promote self-sufficiency without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.

Application Process

1. Complete and submit an application. If you need assistance completing your application, please make a request at
YWCA’s Downtown Center Front Desk. The form is available to view online here, but all forms must be submitted via mail or in-person. Applications will not be accepted via email or online.

2. After YWCA staff have reviewed your application, they will call or text you to schedule an in-person interview.
Before your interview, please prepare required documents.

3. These documents are required. Please bring them to your interview or provide them via hardcopy, text, or email
prior to your interview:

• Copy of a current TB test (within one year).

• Proof of income.

• Proof of having received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

4. Following the interview and the submission of your required documents, YWCA staff will notify you of your
acceptance to the program.

5. Once accepted, you will be placed on our waiting list. During your wait, please immediately notify YWCA staff if
your circumstances change and you no longer need housing or meet eligibility requirements. Please ensure
YWCA staff have correct and up to date contact information so when a room is available you can be notified.

Additional Program Requirements

1. Applicants must be single (not seeking housing for their partners or children), identify as female, and be at least
18 years of age.

2. Demonstrate proof that they need housing.

3. Demonstrate an ability to pay program fees through verifiable income.

4. Show proof of two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

5. Provide a copy of a TB test from the last year.

6. Be drug and alcohol free for at least 90 days prior to applying.

In November 2018, with funding from the Office on Violence Against Women, the YWCA extended the scattered-site transitional housing program. This program is available to victims of domestic violence and their families in Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, Roane, and Sevier Counties who are victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, dating violence or stalking. This program offers financial education, parenting education, and trauma-informed care, including support groups and classes specifically for victims of domestic violence.