Impacting the lives of young adults who have aged out of foster care through housing

Expanding Our Impact

At Elmington, growth has always meant more than expanding our business—it’s about expanding our impact. In recent years, we’ve become increasingly aware of the urgent challenges facing Tennessee’s foster care system.

In 2024, we were honored to be invited by the Governor’s Office to join Every Child TN, a statewide initiative working to reimagine foster care. Through this partnership, we learned a staggering truth. 80% of young people who age out of foster care in Tennessee will experience homelessness, incarceration, addiction, or trafficking by age 21.

One of the biggest reasons?

A lack of safe, stable, and affordable housing.

Taking Action:
Lumen Flats

This reality has inspired a pivotal new chapter for Elmington and Elevates. What began years ago as a calling to build affordable housing has now become a responsibility to directly address the needs of some of our most vulnerable youth.

We are proud to announce Lumen Flats, a new 18-unit apartment community in Knoxville that participates in the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) voucher program in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation.

Through this program, each apartment is supported by a project-based FYI voucher, providing rental assistance for eligible young adults ages 18–24 for up to three years. Lumen Flats will offer:

Stable housing in 18 studio apartments, each with a kitchenette and private bathroom.
Access to mental health support, including on-site therapy rooms.
Community and connection through shared kitchens, common living areas, and supportive adult relationships.

0

Residents Living at Lumen

0 %

Homes Occupied

0 %

Resident Program Participation

*as of last month

Hear more about the Lumen Flats impact

"This program has renewed my belief that real work, real relationships, and genuine human connection create real impact. Transformation rarely happens through grand gestures. It happens through consistent presence, authentic care, and the willingness to walk alongside someone as they rediscover their worth. And for me, as a therapist, watching that transformation unfold is one of the greatest privileges of my life."

Casey Merrill LPC-MHSP, Clinical Mental Health Therapist
Lumen Flats
"If you are thinking about starting something to give back, do it. You may not know where it will lead, but it will make a difference. And sometimes, small acts grow into initiatives as impactful as Elmington Elevates."

Kerri Davis, President, Fortress Technologies
Elevates Board Chairman
"A key may be small, but for a young adult who has experienced instability, that key can represent something enormous: I have a place. I belong here. I can build from here."

Ginger Harris, Youth Engagement Coordinator
Department of Children’s Services
"I've been working in this field for 40 years. One of the common themes has always been that we are failing the youth that are again out of foster care. This model is changing that! After years of us talking about what is needed, this is it! True wrap-around services for these young people. They have stability that they have control over maintaining and a gentle introduction into the adult world. This needs to be replicated across the state!"

Tammy Bass, Program Director
TNVoices
"I am a mother of two teenagers, one that just turned 18 this year. Being a mom has given me such a perspective into the support that Lumen Flats provides to young adults as they enter independence. I am so proud of all of the young adults that practice vulnerability as they participate in therapy with a desire to heal and grow. Lumen Flats is not just a safe place to live, it is a place where young adults can build community, have access to support, and gain a sense of mental wellbeing. These critical services embedded in Lumen Flats make it simple for young adults to access the help they need as they enter adulthood."

Kristen Davis, Chief Innovation Officer
TNVoices
"What makes this project unique is how it draws on every part of Elmington—from our affordable housing development and design teams to construction, property management, and even our software company."

Nini White, Chief Operating Officer, Elmington
Elevates Board Member
“For us, Lumen Flats isn’t just another project—it’s a reflection of our belief that housing can change lives. By stepping into the foster care space, we’re weaving this mission even deeper into the fabric of who we are as a company.”

Ben Brewer, President, Elmington
Elevates Board Member
"Lumen Flats is an incredible opportunity for young adults who have aged out of foster care to experience the support, stability, and guidance they deserve as they transition into adulthood. As a former foster youth myself, now the resident advisor with a master’s-level education and established career, it is incredibly meaningful to be part of an opportunity I was not afforded at their age. Being able to help provide these young adults with resources, encouragement, and a safe place to grow is truly an honor."

Jazmyne Page, Resident Advisor
Lumen Flats

Get Involved

Move-In Stipends
for Future Residents

As our Lumen Flats occupancy continues to grow, help give future residents a move-in stipend for purchasing furnishings, wall art, and room décor — so they can create a space that truly feels like home and have a sense of ownership over their space.

Donate To a Move-In Stipend

$250 Provides a Meal

$250 will cater a meal for the 18 residents of Lumen Flats. Contribute today to ensure the residents have nutritious meals as they settle into their new home.

Provide a Meal To a Resident

Contribute to Elevates

When we combine our efforts, we can create brighter, more stable futures for young people across Tennessee.

Join us in our mission of impacting
the lives of people through housing.

Donate To Elevates

Friends and Partners of Elevates

Click to learn more about the partners involved in supporting everything that Elevates does!

Learn more

Impacting the lives of young adults who have aged out of foster care through housing

Expanding Our Impact

Taking Action:
Lumen Flats

"If you are thinking about starting something to give back, do it. You may not know where it will lead, but it will make a difference. And sometimes, small acts grow into initiatives as impactful as Elmington Elevates."

"A key may be small, but for a young adult who has experienced instability, that key can represent something enormous: I have a place. I belong here. I can build from here."

"What makes this project unique is how it draws on every part of Elmington—from our affordable housing development and design teams to construction, property management, and even our software company."

“For us, Lumen Flats isn’t just another project—it’s a reflection of our belief that housing can change lives. By stepping into the foster care space, we’re weaving this mission even deeper into the fabric of who we are as a company.”