What We Do
The Homeless Education Resource Office (HERO) for Families in Transition identifies and supports students within Metro Nashville Public Schools who are experiencing homelessness. The HERO program strives to make school a consistent, safe and comfortable place for students to be while also providing relief in the form of referrals and school-based assistance to families.
The HERO program serves more than 40,000 children or youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence each year.
How We Support Students
In addition to ensuring critical rights, enrollment support and transportation assistance for students, the HERO team provides:
- Emergency help with hygiene products, personal items and basic critical needs through community partners, collection drives and the HERO Family Fund
- Access to the HERO Pantry and other food resource referrals
- Housing and community resource information; medical and mental health referrals
- School supplies and backpacks, school transportation, school clothing and shoes
- A network of support and education for school-based staff to ensure efficient identification of students, confidence in supporting families and continuing education on family and youth homelessness including existing resources and how to access them
How Can You Help?
Host a Supply Drive
We always need new underwear, gas and grocery. grgift cards and more. Collect items personally or within a group – we have a carefully-crafted grocery list and love to make fun plans for other drives.
UniCycle School
Clothing Program
Host a school uniform drive with UniCycle, the school clothing arm of our support 501(c)(3) that collects and distributes “outgrown, not worn out” standard school attire – the focus of your collection can be new, gently-used, or a mix. We’ll help to plan!
Give to the HERO Family Fund
The HERO Family Fund is a general fund specifically for HERO students and their families. The fund allows flexibility to provide basic, critical needs to families immediately. The fund is used for items that are integral to a student or family’s progress, but are not readily available through other community resources.
Be a HERO Pantry Partner
Our pantry serves families in housing situations that often mean little-to-no kitchen access and food insecurity – hotels, doubled up and mobile. We’ve worked with parents and caregivers to build a grocery list that works for them.
Family Fuel Fund
Our Family Fuel Fund provides emergency gas cards so children and families can keep moving to all the places they need to go – school, work, medical appointments and more. Donate, or host an event or drive to fill up many tanks!
HERO Housewarming
Program
Getting the keys to stable housing is life-changing. Our Housewarming Program gets home essentials like towels, sheets, plates, cups, and even the occasional furniture items to HERO students and their families as they get a fresh start. Make a difference with www.purposity.com or a tailored drive or donation!
HERO Program support is through Nashville Community Connections, a 501(c)(3)
whose 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.