Our Mission
Our mission is to ensure that children experiencing unstable housing have the necessities they need to be present and ready to learn each day at school.
We believe all students and families should have everything in place to attend school. Nashville Community Connections is a volunteer-led organization that offers simple, direct ways for the Nashville community to help fellow Nashville families navigate the challenges related to unstable housing.
Through our seamless collection and distribution streams, our unique partnership with the Metro Nashville Public Schools, and our straightforward funding design, we are able to meet many of the critical needs of students and families when they need it most. When you support Nashville Community Connections, you are directly helping children have the opportunity to focus on learning and growing because they have the essential resources they need to start their day.
Stable housing impacts learning
Unstable housing comes with a bevy of challenges particular to students and education – there’s often no room, supplies or privacy to complete homework or studying; transportation is almost always a challenge; participation in extracurriculars – which helps with a feeling of belonging and school attendance – can be very complicated. Mental and medical health issues are more prevalent among youth in unstable housing. Basic needs such as hygiene, clothing and shoes are hard to manage. But, when barriers are removed, homeless students can and do succeed in school, which is their best protection against future homelessness.
Our Work in the Community
We have worked to support HERO and other Nashville students for ten years. With the recent expansion of the Nashville Community Connections model into eight essential programs, we’ll make it even easier for Nashville families to help Nashville families. Our collective impact will continue to strengthen during a time when it’s more critical than ever.
33,000+
Since 2015, we have served over 33,000 HERO students – from school clothing and shoes to assistance navigating immediate needs related to housing insecurity. This is in addition to thousands of other, non-HERO students served by in-school UniCycle Closets!
250
We work with more than 250 schools, community partners, local businesses and individuals to collect resources that are quickly distributed to students through our unique in-school delivery system.
168,000
Items of school clothing, socks and underwear have been distributed to students through the UniCycle Program.
Our Programs
Nashville Community Connections programming connects the dots to meet real and immediate needs not readily available in our community. Every family is different, and our team knows how to uncover and offer solutions to the specific challenges that each family faces. Together, we get families the resources they need to achieve the stability we all deserve.
UniCycle School Clothing Program
HERO Family Fund
HERO Pantry
Family Fuel Fund
Housewarming
Hygiene Essentials
School Supplies
Shoe Connection
As a school social worker in Nashville, where there are more needs than resources available, I'm so grateful that we can reach out to the Nashville Community Connections team and receive an often IMMEDIATE response to the very specific needs of some of our most vulnerable students and families.
Social Worker in Nashville
Knowing that we're not in this alone at the school level is so reassuring, not just to us, but to our families. We know that when our students' basic needs are not being met, they are typically unable to learn, even if they do make it to school. The HERO program and support from Nashville Community Connections' programming helps fill some of the gaps when it comes to basic needs to make sure our students feel safe and comfortable enough to learn while they are with us. MNPS's HERO program is about far more than just making sure the educational setting is not disrupted - it's about making sure families and students have the resources they need to succeed, not just survive.
MNPS Social Worker
Ways to Support Students
There are many easy ways you can make sure a child can start their day ready to learn. Click below to learn more.
Donate Funds
Give to the HERO Family Fund where funds can be used thriftily to purchase new underwear and critically-needed items that are running low, so we are always stocked.
Donate Items
Drop off gently used school clothing, shoes, new socks or underwear at one of more than 100 UniCycle collection points throughout Nashville. See the list below to find the best location for you.
Host a Drive
Many of the items we need to support families are easy and fun to collect! Check out our Host a Drive page for ideas and info, but we also love new ideas!
Did you know that there’s a Summer Drop Spot for @unicycle.nashville at @fidonashville ?! Donate new or gently used school clothing items and we’ll get them to a Nashville student in need in time for back-to-school. 🎒👕👟 Learn more with the pinned post on our page!
#nashvillecommunityconnections #unicycle #donate #nashville #philanthropy
Do you have “outgrown, not worn out” school clothing donations for our @unicycle.nashville program? 🩳👕There are plenty of summer drop spots to get items out of your house and onto their shelves this summer! Look to @margaretmaddoxymca and @greenhillsfamilyymca in June, @fidonashville and @bongoeast in June and July, @bellevue.family.ymca in July and @sequoiaswimandtennis all summer! Don’t forget the usual UniCycle community drop spots at @elitemartialartsbellevue @hillwoodpc @danceinbloom and @nashvillebaseballacademy 🤝💙
Girl Scouts do s`more than just selling cookies - they are community heroes!
Three dedicated Girl Scouts from Troop #1445 recently completed their Silver Award Project in collaboration with the HERO team. As part of their initiative, they created custom care bags filled with essential items for girls, which were distributed through the program.
We are so proud of these girls for their hard work and dedication to serving their local Nashville community!
@fleetfeetnashville @crcmidtn @jclaxnashville @michele_steiner_harrell @heatherpowell615 @gsmidtn
#CommunityService #GirlScouts #HERO
What is a McKinney-Vento student (also locally referred to as HERO students in Nashville)?
At HERO, we work to provide necessary resources, supports and referrals to help homeless children and youth to be successful in school and have a positive school experienceđź’™
Learn all about who classifies as a HERO student and how you can help today at https://zurl.co/gblHD
Let’s unbox these amazing custom care bags made by Girl Scout Troop 1445 ❤️ These are filled with essential items for girls navigating unstable housing. Thank you SO much to these girls for their hard work and service to our community and our HERO Program🫶🏻
#nashvillecommunity #girlscouts #nashville
Are there clothing items in your child`s closet that have not been worn all year? Whether it`s outgrown or gently used pieces that no longer get any love, now is the perfect time to declutter!
As the school year wraps up, take a few moments to go through your closets and set aside clothing that can make a difference in another child`s lifeđź’™ Keep an eye out for UniCycle summer drop spots coming soon!
Year-end celebrations are in full swing! Our collective crew was honored to be nominated as top district partners in two spaces where we thrive - HERO’s Sheila Decker in the First Responder category, and the UniCycle school clothing program as a Basic Needs provider. Thank you, @mnps_fcp! 💙🤝 @mnps_hero @unicycle.nashville
Recently, we made some Nashville Community Connections between the @Community Resource Center, @MNPS HERO, and West End Synagogue !đź’™
As part of their annual springtime Social Action Day, temple members collected and donated food to stock the HERO Pantry, helped organize donations, and packed HERO Hygiene Kits at our HERO offices.
These kits, which contain full-size shampoo, body wash, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and a toothbrush, were then distributed to middle and high school HERO students across the district. Students receive these essential hygiene items upon enrollment, and this event provided a much-needed springtime refresh!
We are so grateful to have spent time with these amazing organizations and for the impact they have made in our HERO student`s lives!
