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WBIR News: Knoxville nonprofits partner to help mothers in recovery forge new future through welding

Susannah’s House and insPYRE just launched a 15-week welding course for pregnant and postpartum mothers recovering from substance abuse.

Author: Elana Mutnick

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Recovery is about more than overcoming addiction; it’s about rebuilding a life.

For a group of mothers, that journey now includes learning a new trade thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership between two East Tennessee nonprofits.

Knoxville-based insPYRE, a nonprofit welding and metalworking training program, has teamed up with Susannah’s House, a Knoxville nonprofit that supports pregnant and parenting mothers recovering from opioid use disorder and mental health challenges.

“We are teaching women to weld,” said Mary Tom Adams, co-director of insPYRE. “We hope that when they leave here they will either choose to go into a career in welding of some sort or metalworking. But as much as anything, we hope they will feel empowered by the experience.”

Adams said class participants will spend the next 15 weeks learning everything from forging and metalworking to MIG and TIG welding.

“They will make something for themselves. They’ll make something for their respective organizations, and all along the way we will be saying confidence, confidence, confidence,” she said.

One of those welders is Brianna West, a resident at Susannah’s House.

“I’ve always been scared of welding,” West said. “It’s just like, I try something new, new story, new life. It’s a new opportunity for everybody, I believe.”

West came to Susannah’s House while pregnant and struggling with addiction.

“A lot of us come from addiction and we’re here trying to make a better life,” she said. “I’m so blessed that insPYRE has had us from Susannah’s House to come out here and be the founding students.”

Susannah’s House Executive Director Rebekah Fetzer said the partnership gives mothers a chance to develop skills that can lead to lasting independence.

“Our ladies need a better way to have job skills that will take them into new places,” Fetzer said. “They’re just very excited about it. We’re very excited about this partnership with insPYRE.”

Susannah’s House has served more than 1,000 mothers and children over the past 12 years, providing treatment, support and resources at no financial cost.

For Adams, the program is about more than teaching a trade.

“We hope to work with people who need second chances, maybe third chances,” she said. “Folks coming out of prison, folks who’ve been abused, folks who are struggling with substance abuse.”

She said welding can become a powerful reminder that broken things can be rebuilt.

“There’s nothing irreconcilable about welding,” Adams said. “You can bend metal, you can break it and you can put it back together.”

For West, the class is already helping her look toward the future.

“Me doing this welding class is gonna be a kick start to my dream career,” she said. “Auto mechanics.”

The inaugural class runs for 15 weeks, and insPYRE hopes to expand the program by partnering with more organizations across the community, giving more people in recovery the opportunity to gain career skills and a renewed sense of confidence.

You can contact insPYRE here and Susannah’s House here. 

Read the article in full on the WBIR website!