Connecting children experiencing unstable housing with the essentials they need to thrive in school.

Check out our Programs

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

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HERO Family Fund

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HERO Pantry

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Family Fuel Fund

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Housewarming

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Hygiene Essentials

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School Supplies

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Shoe Connection

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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

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.

SEE DROP-OFF LOCATIONS

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!

HOST A DRIVE