BUILDING HOPE
for Women & Children
Women and children have increasingly become the faces of homelessness. As the Mission began to see more women experiencing homelessness walk through our doors, especially those with small children, we knew it was time to do something more.
These women and children need more than food, clothing, and shelter to break the cycle of homelessness. They need services and support that will allow them to plan for a better tomorrow and take them out of a shelter environment, and put them on the path to independent and sustainable housing.
We know that building hope for them goes beyond an actual building. But it does start with our expanding.
Plans for A New Campus
With the support of many generous donors, the Mission began construction on a new campus for Women & Children in the late summer of 2021.
While the construction of this new campus is underway, the women and children have been temporarily relocated to the Mission’s Main Campus located at 639 Lafayette Street. This construction project is projected to take 18 to 24 months, during which time the two campuses will operate under one roof.
Here is a view of the new campus:
DETAILS OF NEW CAMPUS
Not only will this new campus allow us to add additional space to better accommodate guests, but it also allows the Mission to expand the services we offer to help women and mothers with children move out of a shelter environment and into independent, sustainable housing.
Here are some of the things you can expect from this new campus:
- Adding beds to emergency services dorms
- Increasing the number of family rooms
- Increased restroom and shower capacity
- Expanding the kitchen floorplan to adequately accommodate staff and volunteers
- Increased seating capacity of the dining room
- Creating a new chapel space with a larger stage and increased seating
- Improved accessibility for individuals who have mobility impairments
- Additional classroom, office, and meeting spaces
- Increased meeting space for external partners who offer wrap-around services in the areas of housing, education, employment, mental health, and more
- Increased guest lockers for storage
- Enhancing the playground, as well as add a play area for older kids, so children of all ages have safe places to play
- Creating safe, private, and secure courtyards
- Enhanced security
- Creating a more welcoming main entrance and adding a designated service entrance
- Increased parking
Barbara is just one story of hope that you made possible.
“I am extremely grateful to Nashville Rescue Mission for helping be the light that led me to Jesus. The Mission will forever hold a special place in my heart.”
Meet BarbaraFrequently Asked Questions
We know you may have lots of questions, and we’ve taken this opportunity to put together answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below. You may also download a list of the more frequently asked questions and answers here.
Why a new campus for Women & Children?
With the increasing numbers of homeless women, especially those with children, seeking assistance at Nashville Rescue Mission, it became obvious there was a need for a more extensive, more efficient facility that would include more rooms, handicapped accessibility, classrooms, etc. It will feature an improved footprint, while also increasing the size of the kitchen and dining room. Ultimately it will better accommodate those the Mission serves while giving staff ample space to effectively and efficiently do their jobs.
Why not remodel the existing campus?
When assessing the cost of remodeling versus rebuilding, Nashville Rescue Mission’s building committee determined that more efficient use of funds would be to start from the bottom and build up. As we want to be good stewards of our resources, we followed this recommendation.
Will the Women’s Campus be moving to a new location?
No, the Women’s Campus is not moving but to build a brand-new footprint on the existing property, the Mission needed to temporarily relocate those staying on the campus to a new location. The most effective and efficient solution, which again is only temporary, was to move them to the Men’s Campus.
How long will the women and children stay at the Men’s Campus?
The expected timeframe for completion of the Mission’s new campus for Women and Children is 18 to 24 months. But there is always uncertainty with new construction—the weather, availability of workers and materials, etc.—any of those things may affect outcomes.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
CHERYL CHUNN
Vice President of Development
cchunn@nashvillerescuemission.org
615-312-1538