For over 54 years, Nashville Rescue Mission has provided thousands of women and children with meals, a safe place to stay, and life-changing programs that help with various issues they face. But the most important thing the Mission provides them with is hope.
Take Shealana, for example—when she arrived at the Mission, she had experienced enormous loss and was overwhelmed with grief. She and her son needed a place to get back on their feet. Shealana believed it was God’s will to bring them to the Mission. “I feel safe here. I’ve grown closer to the Lord. I feel His presence and know this is right where we need to be.”
THE PROBLEM
Unfortunately, the need for the Mission’s services to women and children has reached capacity. The Mission doesn’t have the space to meet the current needs, much less the growing demand. According to Davidson County’s 2020 Point in Time Count, an annual effort between agencies to produce a count of the homeless in one night, there were 2,016 people experiencing homelessness in Nashville.
To break the cycle, women and children experiencing homelessness need more than food, clothing, and shelter. They need to know there are ways out of their situation and opportunities for a new and better life. The Mission knows how to provide this support—but needs more space to do it effectively.
Lack of affordable housing is a significant cause of homelessness—even in families with one or both parents working, they may not make a livable wage. In addition, illness, unemployment, accidents, criminal records, and evictions often limit a person’s ability to secure stable and affordable housing. Many of Nashville’s homeless are children—they sleep in cars, shelters, or stay with friends and family. According to Metro Nashville Public Schools, which employs a broader definition of homelessness that includes children in families who are doubling up or living in area motels due to economic hardship or housing loss, nearly 3,500 students experienced homelessness in the last school year.
CHALLENGES FOR CHILDREN
Children living with homelessness are dramatically more likely to experience health issues, hunger, learning disabilities, and emotional and behavioral problems. Those issues often follow them into adulthood. Many run afoul of law enforcement and the criminal justice system or rely heavily on social service programs—expanding the consequences of homelessness and hopelessness beyond the person onto society and from one generation to the next. Helping a mother succeed provides a much higher chance for her children to thrive and break the cycle.
Often that means providing them with:
• A safe environment
• Case management
• Access to medical and mental health care
• Career education
• Job readiness
• Substance abuse treatment
• Emotional and social support
• Life skills
• Parenting education and assistance
• Financial literacy
• Early intervention referrals
To truly help women and children in this situation, it’s essential to create pathways out of homelessness that leads them to safe, stable, and empowered lives.
MOMS NEED HELP
Chelsie is just one of the many mothers the Mission has helped. She came to the Mission after several failed attempts at rehabilitation. “Few places will accept pregnant moms battling addiction. I’m grateful for the Mission. It was my last hope. The classes were just what I needed. The counselors and life coaches were fantastic. The staff, volunteers, and other participants became my family.”
To break the cycle, women and children experiencing homelessness need more than food, clothing, and shelter. They need to know there are ways out of their situation and opportunities for a new and better life. The Mission knows how to provide this support—but needs more space to do it effectively.
NEW WOMEN’S CAMPUS
Plans for a new Women’s Campus include facilities and resources to provide physical, emotional, and social support for women and children. In addition, they will find encouragement through the various programs run by staff knowledgeable about child development and the impact of traumatic stress. And they will participate in child-friendly programming and play spaces that support resiliency.
So far, the Mission has raised $18 million towards building a brand new 77,000 square feet building—just $2 million shy of a goal of $20 million.
This new building will provide approximately 20,000 additional square feet of space than the previous campus. In addition, it will increase the number of family rooms by 8 for a total of 16, allowing the Mission better to serve large families and mothers with older boys. In addition, the seating accommodations in the dining room will increase from 50 to 150, allowing everyone to enjoy a meal and fellowship together. It also provides additional classrooms and a larger kitchen and pantry. All of this will enable the Mission to meet the growing needs of the community.
