Pop the Champagne, We’re 70!

The Speech & Hearing Center is celebrating 70 years of service, dedication and impact on the lives of those in the Chattanooga area who are affected by a speech or hearing impairment. Since its founding in 1953, the organization has been committed to enhancing and sustaining quality of life through better communication. 70 years means more than 200,000 lives touched.

The support of our Chattanooga community is vital to continuing to provide equal access for all to these quality specialized healthcare services in our region. We’re the only nonprofit in our area addressing communication disorders. We invite you to celebrate with us by supporting our mission

Our History

The Speech & Hearing Center was founded to provide speech pathology and audiology services, on a sliding scale basis, to our neighbors who would otherwise continue to struggle with the devastating effects of a speech, hearing or developmental impairment.

The organization was chartered on May 11, 1953. 10 years ago, on the 60th anniversary, May 11 was declared Speech & Hearing Center Day by Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.

Here’s a look back at some of our major milestones:

May 11, 1953
Center’s Official Date of Establishment
September 15, 1953
Opening Day at 605 Vine Street
1956
Opening of Little Listeners Preschool
1969
Moved to 3rd Floor of Siskin Foundation Building on 529 Oak Street
September 3, 1972
Receive Donation of 1st Mobile Speech & Hearing Van, Beginning the Industrial Hearing Program
May 30, 1975
Rhea County, John W. Looper, Marion County, and Cleveland Regional Satellite Centers Open
June 24, 1982
Mark Herndon from the Band Alabama Founds the Mark Herndon Speech & Hearing Foundation for the Sole Benefit of the Center
October 29, 1986
Honored by National Council of Better Hearing & Speech Month with Excellence Award
June 15, 1989
Moved to 600 N Holtzclaw Avenue
1998
Summer Preschool Program, The Achieve Center, is Started
End of 2017
Moved to 2212 Encompass Drive
2023
Celebrate 70 Years of Service

Better Hearing & Speech Month

As a wonderful coincidence, our birth month coincided with Better Hearing & Speech Month. We folded our anniversary celebrations in with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s monthlong campaign to raise awareness about communication disorders.

We recognized our speech therapists and the hard work they do all year long on SLP Appreciation Day on May 18. And we were out and about about town, educating the public at community health fairs, along with speaking engagements at local professional organizations, churches and civic groups. We also released content all month to ensure the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of speech and hearing impairments is top of mind for all.

The Big Shebang!

To mark this milestone anniversary, The Speech & Hearing Center hosted a joy-filled 70th birthday party at Chattanooga Whiskey Event Hall with a signature cocktail, art and silent auction, whiskey tasting and 1885 Grill delicacies. It provided opportunities for community members to come together to celebrate, look to what lies ahead and lend their support to the only nonprofit in the area addressing communication disorders.

Even if you missed the event, you can still take part by supporting our mission through a donation.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Unum