At 75, there’s no stopping Carolyn, a faithful volunteer of the Mission.
For more than 16 years, Carolyn and others from her church, First Baptist Joelton, have been volunteering to serve the homeless. Ten years ago Carolyn joined a group of women from church who are serving up hope and love to ladies graduating from the Mission’s Life Recovery Program.
Most of what is served has been prepared at home by the loving and caring hands of these volunteers. “We don’t make them stand in line,” said Carolyn. “We want them to know they are loved, they are important—and we do that by serving them. We want to treat them as we would our own families.”
A mother, grandmother, and a great grandmother, Carolyn knows a thing or two about families. “When I’m volunteering, I remember each girl is someone’s daughter. I cannot imagine the pain, grief, and suffering their families have gone through. I can’t imagine anyone growing up wanting to be addicted to drugs. No parent wants that for his or her child. The Mission offers those in need, struggling, hurting, and addicted the opportunity to get off the streets and make dramatic changes in their life. It’s a wonderful program.”
The desire to serve hope and love stretches well beyond the monthly graduation ceremonies. Carolyn and her group of volunteers have found many other ways to get involved and give back.
“I love a good cup of tea,” shared Carolyn. “Two years ago I asked the women in my church group if they’d be interested in hosting a tea party for the women at the Mission. They were tickled to do it. I brought my teapots. We put tablecloths on the tables and served on fine dishes. We waited on the ladies and served them as if they were dining at a five star restaurant. Each lady received a cup and saucer as a gift. We look forward to doing this again next year along with several other events. ”
 
The Mission is so grateful for Carolyn, her church, and the many groups that faithfully serve here. If you’d like to learn more about the ways you and your church group can get involved in the work God is doing at Nashville Rescue Mission, visit nashvillerescuemission.org/get-involved/