Written by Marcy Coffman, (former) Executive Assistant/Office Manager (Nashville, TN)
On February 23, twenty (20) Holladay in the Community volunteers arrived at the Nashville Rescue Mission Women’s Campus ready to give 25 hours of hope for today. The Mission staff split our team into two groups to work in the kitchen and the warehouse.
In the kitchen, the volunteers plated and served food to women and children in need as well as cleaned up the service area. In the warehouse, the group sorted, organized and shelved clothing donations for future distribution to women and children in need.
“It was so rewarding to serve the women and children of Nashville and to see the appreciation on their faces as well as in their words,” remarked Candalee Kumar, Lease Administration Manager and coordinator of the event. “Seeing how the community came together to provide food and clothing to those is need was inspiring! As organizer of community events in the Nashville area, I can say that I am sure we will be back to assist this great organization again!”
In 1954, the Mission opened its doors to provide food, clothing and shelter to homeless men in the Nashville community. In 1968, the Mission expanded to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of homeless women and children. Nashville Rescue Mission is a Christ-centered community dedicated to providing hope for today, tomorrow and eternity to the hungry, homeless and hurting in Middle Tennessee.
The Mission serves close to 2,000 meals a day; that includes three hot meals, 365 days a year at two campuses. Each night, hundreds of men, women and children find a warm bed and safety from the streets at the Mission; they house an average of 800 people each night, which includes 25-85 children. The Mission also provides free clothing, showers, personal hygiene, education/training, counseling/spiritual encouragement as well as other programs to transform the lives of many.