Volunteering + Mentoring

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One of the biggest passions in my life is being a mentor. I was a  mentee (little) in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee in 3'rd grade in the mid 90's while growing up in Nashville, and it made a profound impact on my life that has stuck with me into adulthood. I started my mentor journey with BBBS of Middle TN in June of 2016, where I currently serve as a "Big" to this day. I have been matched with my little for 6.5 years and have watched him grow into a bright, selfless young man. To say I am so proud of his achievements and growth would be quite an understatement, and I am so excited to see what he does after high school. Some of our favorite activities over the years include going to the movies, attending Titans football games, fishing, and playing sports together. Please reach out to me if you are interested in mentoring in BBBS and making a positive impact on a young persons life.

I was approached about joining Safe Haven Family Shelter's Young Professional Council in 2020, where the council aims to provide young professionals the opportunity to learn how a non-profit board operates and work alongside the board of directors and advisory board to contribute to the mission of Safe Haven. It was an empowering experience to see and participate in the inner-workings of the board of directors at Safe Haven, and has birthed a goal of mine to found a mentoring non-profit in Nashville for inner-city young men with corporate business aspirations. 

Safe Haven Family Shelter has led Middle Tennessee’s efforts to house, support, empower and advocate for families experiencing homelessness. Safe Haven's shelter-to-housing program is the one of the only of its kind in Tennessee and tailored to meet each family’s needs by providing comprehensive services with a focus on affordable housing, employment and community resources, and is the only shelter in Tennessee that offers housing to mothers with young children.

In the holiday season of 2017, I volunteered 1-2x a month with Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville. I assisted sorting and stocking perishable and non-perishable food items at the storage and distribution warehouse. Second Harvest's mission is to provide food to people facing hunger in Middle Tennessee, and advancing long-term hunger solutions. One thing that impressed me most about my time with Second Harvest was how fine-tuned their Volunteer Engagement team was, and the care they put into attracting and aligning Nashville residents with Second Harvest's mission of combating hunger locally, whether through volunteering or donating.