Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville has purchased a new office space and community outreach center, and a ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, at 1700 Liberty Street to mark the beginning of renovations.
This 17,000-plus square foot building will contain enough space for the entire administrative staff upstairs and the Autism & Community Outreach Center downstairs. The agency has been in operation since 1999 and renting its current office at 900 E. Hill Ave. since 2015.
This new location will be central to Knoxville and will improve the organization’s services that enable adults with autism to lead purposeful lives. Improvements will include an on-site sensory room, space for the use of enabling technology, disability workforce development, and a variety of therapeutic services.
A tour of the building will be offered after the ceremony for all who are interested. Join us for our ribbon-cutting later in 2022 for a tour of the building after renovations have been completed.
The building was constructed in 1979 with renovations in 1990, 2008 and now 2022. Conveniently located off Middlebrook Pike, it features 6,600 square feet upstairs and 10,450 downstairs.
Kendrise Colebrooke
“This Autism and Community Outreach Center project will provide the space needed to expand our programmatic offerings which promote greater independence for adults on the autism spectrum,” said Executive Director Kendrise Colebrooke.
“We serve a niche population, and it is time for us to make sure that more families in this area have access to what we are doing.”
Founded by parents of children with autism, Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville, a non-profit agency, is changing the way autism services are provided in Tennessee. Breakthrough primarily supports adults with autism and other intellectual or developmental disabilities. It is licensed to provide a full continuum of services through TennCare and is in-network for managed care organizations Blue Cross Blue Shield, Amerigroup and United Healthcare.
Other sources of funding for our programs include the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD), Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation, grant funds and private-pay participants.
Services include community employment, independent living, respite & recreation and more. Visit breakthroughknoxville.org to view our full list of services. You can find us on Facebook at Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville, Instagram at @breakthrough_tn, and on Twitter at @BreakthroughTN.
Dylan Slemp is PR/marketing specialist for Breakthrough Corporation.