Connecting Students with Essential Resources
Through a unique partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools and the Homeless Education Resource Office (HERO Program), Nashville Community Connections directly and immediately addresses day-to-day education-related challenges children and families face when they are in an unstable housing situation. We deliver services when and where children need them most, connecting the dots to ensure students have what they need to learn and grow.
UniCycle School
Clothing
Nashville Community Connections’ flagship school clothing program collects items at over 100 MNPS and community partner donation sites and distributes them to any student in need through multiple school-based channels. UniCycle provides clothing, coats, socks, underwear, and more so children feel comfortable and confident in school.
HERO Family Fund
The HERO Family Fund allows flexibility to provide basic, critical needs to HERO 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.
HERO Pantry
Our pantry serves HERO families in housing situations that often mean little-to-no kitchen access and food insecurity – hotels, doubled up and mobile
Family Fuel Fund
The Family Fuel Fund provides emergency gas cards and rideshare services to HERO families so children and caregivers can keep moving to all the places they need to go – school meetings, work, medical appointments and more.
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.
Shoe Connection
Through partnerships with Soles4Souls’ 4EveryKid program, locally-owned Fleet Feet and community drives, we distribute brand-name new shoes and high-quality gently-used shoes to students.
Hygiene Essentials Program
Essentials like toothpaste, soap, menstrual products, hair care, and other hygiene basics are critical to keeping children healthy. Through our partnership with the Community Resource Center, we remove the stress children experience when they lack these products, so they can focus on their education and social relationships.
HERO School
Supplies Program
A key part of feeling prepared for school is walking into the classroom with a backpack and some basic supplies. The HERO Program supplies basics and we partner with PENCIL to secure much of what we need, but backpack-packing events and extra school supply drives help to fill in gaps and are a great way to host a service project.
Sports Equity Fund
Through dynamic partnerships with the Titans’ Jeffery Simmons and locally-owned Play It Again Sports – Bellevue, we work to eliminate barriers to school sports and level the playing field for students by providing personal sports equipment, access to sports physicals and ways to mitigate related challenges.
Beyond Graduation
A collaborative support system for MNPS students experiencing housing instability as they prepare for and persist through any postsecondary path. Beginning junior year and continuing into the first year after high school, students receive individualized guidance, support with application and financial‑aid processes, and the essentials needed to confidently pursue four‑year college, community college, technical programs, or other training opportunities.
How we work
We serve all Davidson County students, and have a partnership with the Metro Nashville Public Schools Homeless Education Resource Office (HERO) to serve qualified HERO students and their families, providing resources families need to persevere during transitional situations. Learn more about our operations and how we are able to deliver the right resources at the right time.