St. Luke's Community House

St. Luke's Speakeasy coming up on September 9

2011-08-24T16:08:00.003-05:00

Get your tickets here.

Bishop's Breakfast returns on June 15

2011-05-02T16:22:00.002-05:00

The Bishop's Breakfast returns to St. Luke's on June 15 at 7:30 a.m. Featuring a hot breakfast, fellowship, and words from Bishop John, it's becoming a tradition in the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee.

To RSVP, contact us at christopher.sanders@stlukescommunityhouse.org .

St. Luke's Speakeasy returns September 24

2010-09-09T08:46:00.003-05:00

If you haven't already seen the news, the St. Luke's Speakeasy makes a return on September 24 at Houston's Station located at 434 Houston St in Nashville.

Last year's event was a blast--a night of gaming, dancing, good food, good drink. And this year promises to be more of the same with improvements. The space is not only larger, but it gives you more of the feel of a speakeasy. Best of all, the event takes place on a Friday night this year so you can party from 7:00 to 11:00 and not have to pay for it the next day...well, not too much.

A special thanks to the event chair Shelby Adams and the event committee for all your work!

Get your tickets here!

Price: $50 for regular tickets gaming chips, food and beer,wine and the specialty drink
$100 for VIP tickets include extra gaming chips, access to VIP area
with High Roller poker table and full bar.

Date: Friday, September 24, 2010

Time: 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Location: Houston Station
Street: 434 Houston Street
City/Zip: Nashville, TN 37203

West Nashville Community Development Partnership helping repair flood damaged houses

2010-05-08T12:29:00.002-05:00

Stephanie Lee of the West Nashville Community Development Partnership discusses how her group is helping repair houses damaged by the flood in West Nashville. For more information, email her at wnpartnership@stlukescommunityhouse.org .

Help St. Luke's respond to the flood devastation in West Nashville

2010-05-04T11:42:00.002-05:00

You can donate food by contacting us at christopher.sanders@stlukescommunityhouse.org or 350-6936.

You can donate funds here.

To volunteer, contact us at christie.bearden@stlukescommunityhouse.org or 324-8375.

Your volunteer effort and your donations of food and funds will help one of the areas most devastated by the storms. We are grateful for your support.

Poverty in the State of Metro Address

2010-04-29T12:27:00.004-05:00

This morning Mayor Karl Dean gave his state of Metro address, which outlined his look back over the past year and his look ahead into the next budget cycle. It's a way of checking over priorities and giving a signal for Metropolitan government's direction in the coming year.

Toward the end, there was a considerable section on poverty. We've quoted it here with some commentary at the end:

Second, we need to invest in efforts to help those most in need in our city. Nashville is an affluent community. But in contrast, we also have a growing number of people living below the poverty threshold. The challenges these individuals face every day in their lives are real. It’s the basics that many of us take for granted – food, clothing, a roof over our heads.

This year, we completed a community-wide process to develop a Poverty Reduction Plan. Reducing poverty is a complicated task. And this plan is appropriately comprehensive in scope. It looks at everything from workforce development to daycare, from housing needs to health services. I’ve charged Metro Social Services with overseeing the implementation of this plan. But it’s going to take all of us – government, businesses, churches, nonprofits, individuals – to see it come to life. In our budget, we will ask the Council to approve funds to support this poverty initiative. Reducing poverty won’t be easy or simple, but it’s something we must do.

We all know that one of the best ways out of poverty is education. But for too many adults in our community, going back to school or acquiring a technical skill isn’t a viable option because they lack the most basic foundation for learning – the ability to read. Adult literacy is something I’ve learned a lot about in the last few weeks. Dollar General, a great corporate citizen in Nashville, partnered with the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber’s Public Benefit Foundation to commission a Community Needs Assessment for Adult Literacy.

The assessment uncovered what, to me, was an astonishing fact: roughly 12 percent of adult Davidson County residents lack basic reading and comprehension skills. That’s not just a statistic, those are people – 52,000 people living here who are not able to read. If we’re going to continue to thrive and progress as a city, we have to reach out to those individuals and give them the opportunity to learn to read. To help us do this, Dollar General has generously offered to fund half the salary and benefits for a position in our Metro Government to work on adult literacy full time. I attach such importance to this effort that this position will be in my office so that I can focus on this everyday. This person will work with service providers and advocates to create a more coordinated approach in how we address adult literacy in our city and in the region.

The Mayor's remarks sound a number of positive notes. First, we learn that the Mayor will ask the Council to approve funds for the Poverty Reduction Plan that was discussed last year and earlier this year. Committing dollars is the strongest way to show that Metro government is serious about moving forward with poverty reduction. But it is also important to note that it is a starting point to attract others to the table. The language of partnership between Metro government, religious bodies, businesses, and nonprofits is strong in the speech. We all have a role to play.

One of the revelations in the speech concerns just such a partnership. After discussing the role of adult literacy in poverty, the Mayor discusses a new adult literacy position in Metro government, of which half the salary is to be funded by Dollar General, a national leader in adult literacy! Committing staff to one of the key facets of poverty is also a strong signal that Metro is serious about poverty reduction.

St. Luke's Community House welcomes these developments and we hope to have the opportunity to work with Metro government as part of the solution to the poverty in our community.

Savvy Avenue story features St. Luke's: Great deals for a cause

2010-04-16T19:32:00.005-05:00

Tonight's Channel 5 news featured a bargain hunter's dream--Savvy Avenue :

Savvy Avenue wants to help St. Luke's by donating $1 for every single coupon purchased during the month of April.

Photographer Anna Howard was drawn to advertise on Savvy Avenue because it made a commitment to a charity she knows very well.

She snapped at the chance to offer a photography package worth well over $200 for just $90 knowing the deal will help more than just her bottom line.

Savvy Avenue is free and offers discount deals everyday.

Check out Savvy Avenue for the rest of the month to help St. Luke's Community House.

Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards

2010-04-06T15:54:00.003-05:00

St. Luke's Community House is honored to have nominated finalists in two categories for the Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards held today. Immediate past board president Marian Ott was a finalist in the Community Impact category. Emma, the email marketing powerhouse, was a finalist in the Corporate Service Project category. We are grateful to Marian, our friends at Emma, and all our volunteers for their hard work on behalf of the people of West Nashville.

Monday Mid-morning Mix

2010-04-05T09:41:00.004-05:00

First, we hope you had a great Easter weekend. The weather more or less cooperated. Yesterday afternoon was perfect.

It was hard to find anything in the papers this morning that might relate to our work at St. Luke's, but if you've noticed lately, the papers are a little smaller these days. Changing habits of news consumption and a bad economy have taken their toll on the amount of print journalism that you can pick up on a Monday.

But there were two important pieces from Sunday's Tennessean that are worth a look. First was this story that discussed the trend of more people filing their own taxes this year. The United Way/IRS VITA program is indirectly mentioned in the story as a resource for those who wish to file with some help free of charge. St. Luke's VITA program is still going strong. As of March 31, volunteers had helped 322 people with their taxes resulting in returns of $588,789! That's a powerful injection of money back into West Nashville.

The second piece or series of pieces dealt with the recent discussions about how to determine poverty levels. You can find the views of Bill Sinclair of Catholic Charities of Tennessee here, the editorial voice of the Tennessean here, and St. Luke's VITA volunteer Todd Liebergen here.

We hope your week is off to a great start.

A visit to our neighbor, Zeledyne

2010-03-17T09:24:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak at a United Way campaign event at Zeledyne in West Nashville. They are the relatively new occupants of what used to be known as the Ford Glass plant. It was good to reconnect with the people who work there and tell them the importance of supporting United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, a major supporter of St. Luke's.

We talked about the Mobile Meals program at St. Luke's, which provides hot meals to about 100 seniors and disabled persons every week day. The program is a vital part of improving the nutrition of people in the neighborhood, but it also breaks isolation. When the volunteer driver stops by (and we can't thank our wonderful volunteers enough for what they do to make the program possible), he or she may be the only visitor that senior receives that day.

United Way, volunteers, and supporters like you form a partnership that makes it possible for St. Luke's to offer programs like Mobile Meals.

Back on Facebook

2010-02-24T12:47:00.001-06:00

Well, after being away for over a week, we're back on Facebook. We never found out what happened to the other fan page. So we started a new one. You can find it here. Please, become a fan.

St. Luke's closed Monday, Feb. 1

2010-01-31T20:18:00.001-06:00

St. Luke's Community House will be closed on Monday, Feb. 1 due to the weather. Check WSMV for full listings.

St. Luke's closed on Friday, Jan. 29

2010-01-28T21:27:00.001-06:00

Due to the weather, St. Luke's Community House offices and Child Development Program are closed on Friday, January 29. We look forward to serving you next week.

This 'N That is ready for Valentine's Day

2010-01-21T14:21:00.002-06:00

Donna Cheek discusses some of the new Valentine's Day merchandise at This 'N That Thrift Shop located at 5007 New York Avenue.

Jessica Brady talks about VITA

2010-01-11T15:47:00.002-06:00

If you believe you qualify for the program, call us starting on Tuesday of next week when we will begin setting up appointments. 350-1134.

St. Luke's closed again on Friday, January 8

2010-01-07T21:23:00.001-06:00

You can find the list at WSMV's page.

St. Luke's Closed Thursday, January 7

2010-01-06T23:24:00.002-06:00

From WSMV, it's official. St. Luke's Community House, including the preschool, is closed on Thursday, January 7.

Happy New Year from the 3s and 4s class

2010-01-01T20:59:00.002-06:00

Thanks to our friends at the Alcoa Foundation

2009-12-31T15:21:00.002-06:00

As 2009 closes, so does our two-year partnership with the Alcoa Foundation.

Their investment in our literacy classrooms helped us provide three classrooms of low-income children with quality teachers and needed materials.

Our Literacy Coach, Kendra Andersen, worked regularly with the teachers in these classrooms, helping all three classes set a new standard of excellence on fall evaluations of learning environment. Each year, the children in our classrooms have shown marked improvement from fall to spring on standard assessment tools; this year, they started the fall assessment at a higher level than in years past. We have high hopes for spring!

Many thanks to Alcoa for helping to make our literacy program a success.

-Emily Kinzig

Special Video Message from Brian Diller

2009-12-28T13:30:00.002-06:00

A video message from our Executive Director Brian Diller.

If you would like to make a gift online, you can do so at this link. You can also send a check to:

5601 New York Avenue
Nashville, TN 37209.

Thanks for your support and have a Happy New Year!

St. Luke's in the News: The importance of reserve funds for our services

2009-12-26T10:59:00.003-06:00

The Tennessean looked back over their series on nonprofit organizations helping out for the holidays. That gave me the opportunity to discuss the importance of financial support this year:

And this year, St. Luke's story is the story of almost every nonprofit that helps families and individuals meet their most basic needs. Demand for services is up, about 40 percent at the food bank alone, but donations have struggled to keep pace."When you give, particularly this year, you are helping to give that organization a reserve ... that insurance that they can go forward and continue to provide services without interruption," said Chris Sanders, director of development at St. Luke's Community House. "It is the basis for being able to do all the work that we are able to do."

If you would like to make your year-end gift to St. Luke's so that we can continue to deliver basic services without interruption or cuts, you can send your check to

5601 New York Avenue
Nashville, TN 37209
Attn: Chris Sanders.

You can also give online at this link.

If you would like to make a gift of stock, call me at 350-6936 Monday through Thursday before the new year. I'll be glad to assist you or your agent.

Thank you for all your support in 2009. Together we have accomplished some great things for the people of West Nashville.

Merry Christmas: We'll be back on Monday

2009-12-22T13:44:00.003-06:00

The Board and Staff of St. Luke's Community House wish you and your friends and family a Merry Christmas. We are grateful for all you have done to make it a bright one for our neighbors in West Nashville.

When we close this afternoon, we will be out of the office until Monday, December 28. If you would like to make a donation, you can take care of it online at this link or you can mail a check to

St. Luke's Community House
5601 New York Avenue
Nashville, TN 37209
Attn.: Chris Sanders .

Make checks payable to St. Luke's Community House.

If you wish to make a gift of stock, please call 350-6936 on Monday morning.

Thank you and have a wonderful Christmas!

Gobble, gobble and Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T13:12:00.003-06:00

Today St. Luke's provided Thanksgiving lunch to our preschool children and their parents. The 3s and 4s classes made these turkeys to help celebrate. On behalf of the board and staff of St. Luke's Community House, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving. Have a safe, wonderful holiday!

Thanksgiving at St. Luke's

2009-11-21T12:29:00.003-06:00

More than 200 of our West Nashville neighbors joined us today for a Thanksgiving celebration. Several community groups provided health and nutrition information followed by a full Thanksgiving meal served by volunteers from St. George's Church in Nashville. One of the highlights for the children every year is the petting zoo. You can find more pictures from the event here.

St. Luke's goes back to the 20s with Speakeasy party

2009-11-17T09:20:00.002-06:00

Photos from the Speakeasy are up. Take a look and find yourself and your friends.

No points off for spelling

2009-10-07T10:42:00.002-05:00

Door decorations to celebrate a great fall day at St. Luke's Community House. This particular door opens to the 2s and 3s classroom.

St. Luke's in the News: Child Development Program featured on WSMV

2009-09-23T09:12:00.002-05:00

Channel 4's Marc Stewart did a piece last night on the impact of the economy on families with children with a focus on the need for affordable childcare. The link to the story includes a link to video.

St. Luke's will be closed on Labor Day

2009-09-04T13:51:00.003-05:00

We just wanted to remind you that St. Luke's will be closed on Monday, which is Labor Day. Our employees will take some time to be together with their families and our wish for you is that you are able to do the same.

We are thankful for all whose work builds our country and we celebrate them and our own employees this Labor Day. As always, we took the step of delivering an extra frozen meal this week so that our seniors who receive Mobile Meals services would not be left out. We will reopen on Tuesday of next week.

Vote for Us in the Nashville Scene's Best of Nashville poll

2009-08-26T14:12:00.002-05:00

You can find the link here. Question 231 asks your opinion on Nashville's best Nonprofit. We hope you'll vote for St. Luke's Community House. We think it would be fitting in a year of recession that a nonprofit serving the city's working poor would get some notice. Remember to answer at least 25 questions in the survey for your ballot to count. Thanks for your support of St. Luke's.

By the way, you can also vote for the St. Luke's Roast & Toast in category 120--best charity event.

211 Calls Way Up, says United Way

2009-08-25T08:59:00.004-05:00

A WKRN story quotes United Way officials reporting a sharp increase in 211 calls:

At the Nashville call center, program director Doug Fluegel told News 2 between 12,000 and 20,000 are answered each month.

"Calls are way up for basic needs. We see a lot of calls for food. In fact, we're up 65% during the 2009 calendar year compared to the same time last year," he said.

Leaders of the program say they're getting a lot of first time callers, an indicator of how wide-spread the recession really is.

That is consistent with the increased demand for food and other basic services that we are seeing at St. Luke's. Doug's comment about first-timers is also right on the money.

Read the rest of the story to find out how you can help on September 11.

A Lizard to Start With

2009-08-10T15:32:00.002-05:00

When I was in elementary school, we used a series of books with clever titles as we were learning to read. I think the first in the series was A Pig Can Jig--Part 1. It definitely left you ready for Part 2. One of the books in the series was A Lizard to Start With. I don't believe that was a very clever title. First of all, it's teaching children that it's all right to end a sentence with a preposition. Second, well, it just doesn't really rhyme or anything. But somehow I remembered it today as I was walking along the front of St. Luke's and saw something crawling up the side. It was one of those lizards with blue tails. Maybe he was trying to find a warm spot, but he paused just long enough for me to catch this pretty poor excuse for a photo of him.

Backpacks loaded for Kindergarten

2009-08-06T10:54:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow when they graduate from St. Luke's, our Pre-K students will head off to kindergarten ready to go with these backpacks full of school supplies provided by Church of the Advent. Thank you, Advent, for the years of giving to our children as they prepare for their next step!

Today's Volunteer Challenge

2009-08-06T09:34:00.002-05:00

Exploring the strange terrain of another planet? Nope, it's just a close-up of mulch. Today volunteers are pitching in to mulch the St. Luke's playgrounds so that we can maintain high ratings for our Child Development Program with the Department of Human Services. We are grateful for everything that our volunteers do for us at St. Luke's.

If you would like to volunteer with one of our programs, contact us at Christie.Bearden@StLukesCommunityHouse.org .

Pre-K graduation this Friday

2009-08-05T14:32:00.003-05:00

Graduation is just a couple of days away. Every August, another Pre-K class at St. Luke's graduates and begins the exciting world of kindergarten. Everyone has been busy preparing for Friday's graduation. Jessica Brady has been working on the decorations, like the ones at the right for the class of 2009.

And Church of the Advent has been preparing backpacks full of school supplies for the graduates so that they'll walk into their first day of school ready to go.

Putting the hot in summer with jalapenos

2009-08-04T15:33:00.002-05:00

And the hits just keep coming. A woman who grows jalapeno peppers and bell peppers just brought us a supply. Our neighbors are going to think we're a market soon.

Up to our ears in corn

2009-08-04T14:19:00.003-05:00

No doubt about it. It's corny joke day at St. Luke's. But joking aside, what a great gift! We've got bushels of corn to add to our food boxes for tomorrow. What a perfect summer treat!

Squash and Cucumbers, too

2009-08-03T13:28:00.001-05:00

I walked into our living room a few minutes ago and found lots of squash and cucumbers. They're going to be awfully popular tomorrow. Aren't these great!

Tomato Monday!

2009-08-03T10:48:00.002-05:00

Inspired by this story, a friend of St. Luke's brought in a few boxes of tomatoes to include with our food boxes today. And they look great, even though this camera phone version to the left looks more shadowy than red.

If you have fresh produce that you would like to bring to St. Luke's for distribution with our food boxes, please contact us at 350-6936 or Christopher.Sanders@StLukesCommunityHouse.org .

St. Luke's in the News: Fresh Produce for West Nashville

2009-07-30T09:02:00.002-05:00

Jenny Upchurch profiles Sulphur Creek Farm in North Nashville that supplies fresh produce to Second Harvest Food Bank through its Plant a Row program. St. Luke's benefits from the program:

The gift enabled Second Harvest to send a case of squash and a case of cucumbers to each of its 16 Emergency Food Box distribution sites. It was the only fresh produce in the boxes, which provide two to three days' worth of staple food items such as rice, beans, peanut butter and canned fruits and vegetables for a household.

Fresh produce is more nutritious, said Chris Sanders at St. Luke's Community Center in West Nashville, which also receives produce from Sulphur Creek. But because it is so much more expensive than canned or frozen foods, it is hard for many to buy fresh vegetables and fruit.

"Fresh produce, people can prepare it as they like. They can eat it raw or they can cook it and season it how they like," Sanders said.

St. Luke's to rock The Rock on Sunday

2009-07-24T14:23:00.002-05:00

St. Luke's Executive Director Brian Diller will be on 105.9 The Rock on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. for the Community Spotlight hosted by Joe Elvis. Tune in to hear Brian discuss what's going on at St. Luke's and how you can get involved.

Looking back on the Presiding Bishop's Visit

2009-06-30T10:30:00.004-05:00

The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, reads to the pre-K class during her visit to St. Luke's in the photo by Erin Walker at the left. During her visit, she toured St. Luke's, taking in our many programs. At the end of the visit, she took questions from the group that included parishioners from St. George's, Christ Church Cathedral, St. David's, and Holy Trinity and blessed up with a wish for another 100 years of service!

The Tennessean covered Bishop Katharine's visit to Nashville focusing mainly on issues within the Episcopal Church. You can find our coverage of the visit by looking at last Friday's Tweets here.

Ms. Cheap discusses recent visit to St. Luke's and how you can help

2009-06-02T09:01:00.003-05:00

Ms. Cheap's Sunday column in the Tennessean was devoted to one of her recent visits to St. Luke's Community House and what those who are interested in supporting non-profits can do in these "lean times."

I was out at St. Luke's Community House in West Nashville earlier this month and learned that they're seeing the need for their food and services surging out of control. At the same time, donations from businesses and individuals are on a downward spiral because everybody out there is hurting — or at least feeling wobbly about their future financial well being.

Despite the challenges that non-profits and those who support them are facing, there are still some tips worth repeating if you'd like to help. Here is part of Ms. Cheap's list:

• First, take advantage of your company's charitable match program, if your company has one. If you're not sure, double check with human resources because this is a wonderful way to stretch your dollars and literally double your support of your chosen non-profits.

• Get on board with your grocery's community give-back programs. Kroger, Harris-Teeter and Publix, along with lots of other stores, invite you to sign up for programs where a portion of your spending is funneled back to schools or other nonprofits in your local community. I plan a more detailed story on this later, but in the meantime, ask your grocery how its program works.

• Volunteer. All this costs is time, and most of the agencies and organizations are hungry for volunteers to do everything from providing direct services for their clients to doing office work and menial tasks. They love it even more if you have special skills you can share.

• Organize a food drive at work, in your neighborhood, at your club or church or wherever you can. It's so easy to do, and the food demands these days are staggering with so many families who are trying desperately to make ends meet. Second Harvest officials can help you set up a drive that's easy to pull off.

• If you have a special occasion coming up like a birthday, wedding anniversary, retirement or whatever, consider asking your guests to donate money or in-kind goods to charity instead of bringing gifts to you. You could ask people to bring dog food or supplies for the Humane Association, like Patti Jones did for husband Michael's 60th birthday party. Or you could have your guests bring books for a preschool or food for the food bank. There are endless possibilities, and you can tailor the idea to benefit any charity you're interested in supporting.

• I know this may sound grim, but if you are preplanning your funeral (which I think is a good idea), consider asking that memorial donations be made to your favorite charity or charities.

For the rest of Ms. Cheap's suggestions, click this link for the full article in the Tennessean. Thank you, Ms. Cheap!

St. Luke's in the News: Christ Church Youth to volunteer this summer

2009-06-01T08:58:00.003-05:00

Christ Church Cathedral youth have included St. Luke's in their summer missions plans. According to the Tennessean,

Tenth-graders will do home repair in Galveston, where homes remain in disrepair because of Hurricane Ike. Eighth- and ninth-graders will spend a week at the Scarritt-Bennett Center to study poverty in Nashville. Seventh- graders will work at the St. Luke's Community House, spending time at the day camp and providing other aid.

We look forward to welcoming them and many other volunteers this summer.

Man finds help for himself and his pets at St. Luke's

2009-02-20T15:38:00.001-06:00

Our neighbor Gary Mendenhall tells the Tennessean how he finds help for himself and for his pets at the St. Luke's food bank:

The Nashville Humane Association is looking for donations to support its ongoing pet food bank that benefits struggling families.

The service kicked off several weeks ago to accommodate folks who face surrendering their pets because they can't afford to feed them. So far, close to 40 families have sought help, association officials said.

Among them is Gary Mendenhall, who has three cats and two dogs.

"I'd hate to think what would happen to them if I didn't have help from this program. They're kind of like my kids, so I've got to take care of them," said Mendenhall, who lives in West Nashville.

"I'm in between work so I have no money coming in yet. St. Luke's Community House (charity) helps me with my needs, but I also sometimes go to the Humane Association and ask for some help."

Volunteer needed in the St. Luke's Kitchen

2009-02-04T15:06:00.003-06:00

Want to become St. Luke's favorite person ever? Consider volunteering one or more days in our kitchen on a week day. We need kitchen volunteers Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The tasks include portioning/measuring food, washing dishes, clean up, and general food preparation for our mobile meals and preschool meals programs.

If this position interests you, contact us to find out more about the requirements and duties. Perqs include a free lunch and working around a fun team and knowing that you are providing food to those who need it.

Contact us at 350-6936 or Christopher.Sanders@stlukescommunityhouse.org to find out more. We'll be very grateful for your help.

All mobile meals openings are filled!

2009-02-03T16:22:00.002-06:00

Thanks to the two volunteers with whom Miss Rosie and I met today, all our mobile meals volunteer slots are filled. After a brief orientation, both volunteers were excited about beginning their routes next week.

But that's how our volunteers are at St. Luke's. They're quick to answer the call and we're so grateful for their help as we work together to serve our neighbors in West Nashville.

Early spring cleaning for a good cause

2009-02-02T11:04:00.001-06:00

Are you already doing your spring cleaning? Was your New Year's Resolution to reduce your clutter? Well, we've got just the spot for some of the things you might be getting rid of--the This 'N' That Thrift Shop on Georgia Avenue, not far from St. Luke's. The profits from all their sales go to St. Luke's to support our work in West Nashville.

Right now, they could use boys' and men's clothing, as well as books, and a variety of items. Find out all about This 'N' That here.

Laserjet printer needed for popular tax program

2009-01-08T14:04:00.002-06:00

If you have a gently used laserjet printer (HP laserjet P1006 or P1505, for example) and are looking for a new home for it, St. Luke's could use it. In February, we start the VITA program again. Through VITA volunteers help our neighbors prepare their taxes for free. Last year we helped prepare 500 returns, which resulted in over $400,000 in refunds to the neighborhood.

We need a printer for this program. You will help save St. Luke's on our expenses by helping us with supplies in 2009.

If you would like to donate a printer, contact me at 350-6936 or at christopher.sanders@stlukescommunityhouse.org .

St. Luke's in the News: Making Christmas happen for the families of West Nashville

2008-12-23T16:01:00.002-06:00

Today's Tennessean profiles April Brown and the help her family received from St. Luke's this Christmas:

Although both Brown and her husband work, she said money has been tight. The family spends at least $200 a month on diabetes medications, Brown said.

"We thought we weren't going to have Christmas for my children this year," Brown said.

"My kids got a couple outfits, games, movies. Whoever adopted us also helped us pay for lights, which was a blessing. I thank God every night that I was able to get help."

Feeding Hope Challenge Volunteers Needed

2008-12-03T15:10:00.000-06:00

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, which supplies food to the St. Luke's Food Bank, has launched the Feeding Hope Challenge to gather 300,000 pounds of food in 30 days.

We need St. Luke's volunteers to help with the effort. We are asking you to consider taking a 3-hour volunteer slot on Saturday, December 13 at either the Belle Meade Kroger or the Abbott Martin Kroger. We need two volunteers for the 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. shift at each store and two volunteers for the 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. shift at each store.

Volunteers will be in front of the stores to receive food donations and provide information about St. Luke's as an example of one program that benefits from Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

Please, contact me at 350-6936 by this Friday if you are interested or have questions.

Thanks,

Chris Sanders

Director of Development

St. Luke's in the News: Food pantries running low in Middle Tennessee

2008-11-26T19:27:00.002-06:00

Find WKRN's story here.

One local food box program had to close early Wednesday after running out of prepared food.

"We [normally] would have volunteers back here preparing them for folks who come into our living room, seeking assistance for the week. Normally [the shelves] would be at least half full in each category," explained Chris Sanders with St. Luke's Community House. "Empty shelves are empty stomachs. It's that simple. "

As the economy goes, so goes the need for food and when money gets tight, lines at food banks get longer.

If you would like to organize a food drive at your business, house or worship, or in your neighborhood to benefit the St. Luke's Community House food box, contact us at christopher.sanders@stlukescommunityhouse.org . We'll be glad to help you plan and we're grateful for your support.

Volunteering at St. Luke's focus of Tennessean piece

2008-11-26T15:17:00.001-06:00

Find the link here. The story features Bernadette Ash, one of our volunteers:

"Volunteering is my first passion, and I even schedule my job around helping out at St. Luke's," she said. "God gave me the gift of helping seniors and those less fortunate than me. My heart gets full when I see them, and it's very rewarding."

But her commitment to seniors in her West Nashville neighborhood extends beyond the programs at St. Luke's. She makes an effort to contact the seniors on her Mobile Meals route weekly.

"They all live near me, so I go by and see them several times a week," Ash said. "I will take them to doctor appointments or to the grocery store if they need me to.

"There are a lot of people, especially seniors, who don't have any family members, or they live far away and they can't see them. During the holidays it's very important that we go say hi and make them feel better."

We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Bernadette. Thank you.

But, wait, there's more...St. Luke's in the News

2008-11-03T13:48:00.002-06:00

St. Luke's has been featured in two more news items. First, our Workforce Development Manager, Jessica Brady, spoke to the Tennessean as part of their "What Tennesseans Say about America" video series. Click here and then click on the last face on the right to find Jessica.

You can also find us on NewsChannel5. Click here and then click on the first video titled "Charitable Groups Collecting Holiday Wish Lists." The story deals with the rising demand for holiday programs as we get closer to Christmas.

St. Luke's in the News: Nonprofits weathering the Recession

2008-10-21T15:01:00.004-05:00

Today's Tennessean tackles the issue of how Nashville nonprofits are adapting during the economic crisis. While donations are holding steady for now, many predict that next year will be rough.

A St. Luke's volunteer was interviewed and she discussed the rising demand for food that she has seen:

Kathy Ford, a volunteer with St. Luke's Community House, says that organization usually distributes 20 food boxes a day from its pantry. Last Friday, the group gave out 49 boxes. "It's been very busy lately the last few weeks," said Ford, who packs up the food boxes. "It hasn't always been like that."

NES round up program electrifying

2008-10-07T10:13:00.005-05:00

The City Paper's Nate Rau explains Nashville Electric Service's new charitable program:

The program works like this: if your monthly bill is $75.15, you will pay $76. The remaining 85 cents will be donated to Change for Charity. Customers will automatically be enrolled in Change for Charity, unless they opt out, according to NES Corporate Communications Supervisor Tim Hill.

The average customer will pay about $6 a year, according to Hill. The most a person could pay is $11.88. With about 300,000 residential customers, that would lead to total revenue of $1.8 million for Change for Charity.

So who's going to benefit? A variety of organizations are eligible with the bulk going to three:

According to Hill, 80 percent of the money collected will be allocated to three organizations — the Metro Action Commission, Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Ladies of Charity.

The other 20 percent will be awarded by a board, which has not yet been formed.

The program is not without a few detractors, but there is an opt-out provision. NES customers are not required to participate.

St. Luke's in the News: Poverty Symposium Part 2

2008-10-07T10:09:00.001-05:00

Take a look at this piece in Saturday's Tennessean that gives the St. Luke's perspective on Nashville's Poverty Symposium.

St. Luke's Open House moved to October 15

2008-09-24T12:02:00.002-05:00

The St. Luke's Open House has been rescheduled for October 15 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Contact Jori at 350-7040 to RSVP.

St. Luke's participates in Nashville's Poverty Symposium

2008-09-23T10:07:00.007-05:00

Michael Cass has the story in today's Tennessean:

Hundreds of Nashville government, business and religious leaders joined forces Monday to start tackling one of the city's most entrenched problems: poverty.

Participants in a half-day symposium agreed to come up with a plan by next spring to reduce poverty over the next 10 years. They'll soon start working in smaller groups to address housing, health care, child care, food needs, work-force development and other issues.

Speakers and participants agreed that many organizations are doing their part in their own pockets of the city, but that strategy and coordination are lacking.

"Going it alone, we're fighting an uphill battle if there's not a comprehensive citywide solution," said Christopher Sanders, development director at St. Luke's Community House in West Nashville.

With roughly one in seven Nashville residents living below the federal poverty level, civic leaders said the problem can no longer be ignored. They said prosperity should be available to all, and large economic development projects shouldn't push low-profile residents aside.

Former Vice Mayor and current CEO of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce's Public Benefit Foundation Howard Gentry opened the conference and spoke of a "collective mission" to deal with poverty. Mayor Karl Dean noted the "kind-hearted" nature of the community as a resource that can help Nashville come together and reduce poverty over the next 10 years. Dean views the issue of poverty as integral to his administration's three priorities--education, public safety, and economic development.

Vanderbilt University sociology professor Dan Cornfield described Nashville's economy as anchored in the service sector rather than manufacturing, which is a strength since services are unlikely to move out of the area. Cornfield also spoke of "waging a full scale war on poverty" noting that alleviation (meeting immediate needs) will always be necessary, but reduction needs to become a focus. Cornfield called for marrying workforce development to economic development so that poor people could be fully integrated into the local economy.

The service sector presents some challenges for moving poor people to prosperity, though. Cornfield contrasted the rather straightforward career path available to people in manufacturing jobs of the past with the unorthodox path to advancement in the service sector. He gave the example of the person who starts out "pushing a mop" at a hospital. No matter how good he or she is at that vital job for maintaining the cleanliness and safety of the hospital, you can't be promoted from custodial assistant to nurse. It requires special training.

That led to the larger point that we must realize that there are multiple pathways into and out of poverty. The conference is a good start in the effort to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce poverty. Other speakers addressed issues of housing, healthcare, food, childcare, economic opportunity, neighborhood development, and workforce development, which also happen to be the sub-groups for which conference participants could sign up. Meetings should begin soon. The efforts of the different groups will be rolled into a larger proposal for the city.

If you'd like to take a tour...

2008-09-02T10:56:00.003-05:00

...we'd love to have you. It's easy to arrange a personal or group tour of St. Luke's Community House. We enjoy talking about our work and showing you the wonderful facility in which it takes place. What we find is that even those who have supported us for years often have never come to see our new building.

Here's how you get through the Red Door: Contact Chris Sanders at christopher.sanders@stlukescommunityhouse.org or 350-6936. It's that simple. Really.

Taking a tour is a great way to find out if you'd like to volunteer at St. Luke's or just learn more about what is going on in West Nashville.

Our doors are open to you!

Happy Labor Day

2008-08-29T14:51:00.000-05:00

St. Luke's Community House would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Labor Day holiday weekend. We hope you get to spend it with family and friends.

Our offices will be closed on Monday. We will be open again on Tuesday, September 2.

Advent's Annual Fall Festival & Bar-B-Q October 11

2008-08-28T14:25:00.003-05:00

Billed as "Bar-B-Q so good it's a RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE!," Church of the Advent is hosting their annual festival on Saturday, October 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 5501 Franklin Road (less than one mile North of Old Hickory Blvd.).

You can look forward to baked goods, book and craft sales, silent auction, music, and games for the children. And, get this, a 42-inch Sharp Flat Screen HD TV, 2 Southwest Airline Tickets, and a $500 Macy's Gift Card will be raffled.

The cost for adults is $10, children ages 6-12 get in for $5, and children 5 and under eat free. To-go meals are available. Call 373-5630 for more details.

Support our friends at Advent. They are good to St. Luke's Community House.

CP is back!

2008-08-27T15:24:00.004-05:00

No, not the City Paper, but the Charlotte Parker, a great West Nashville blog. In this post, the CP discusses the robbery of Rhino Books.

Economy hitting TN families hard

2008-08-27T11:24:00.004-05:00

The Tennessean is reporting that real incomes are going down in the state, according to the Census Bureau's Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007.

Thanks to rising inflation, Tennessee families earned less in real income last year than they did in 2005, or even 2001. Meanwhile, the number of uninsured Tennesseans is on the rise, and almost 15 percent of the state lives in poverty.

Additionally...

The median household income in Tennessee last year was $41,195 — the ninth-lowest income rate in a country where the national median is more than $50,000. By contrast, the state's median household income in inflation-adjusted dollars was $41,853 in 2005 and $42,678 in 2002.

Tennessee's poverty rate actually declined slightly over the past two years from
15.4 percent to 14.8 percent. An additional 14.4 percent of Tennesseans lived without health coverage in 2007.

The picture mixed, but not pretty yet. I anticipate a tough winter for our neighbors in West Nashville. With electricity costs going up and expenses coming up for the holidays, Christmas will be a difficult time. St. Luke's is putting the finishing touches on our Adopt-A-Family program in which entire families and not just the children are adopted. We are going to need donors to come forward in the coming weeks and help make sure that 2008 ends with joy and plenty for those who are weathering the worst of our economic downturn.

St. Luke's profiled on hunger photoblog

2008-08-26T09:52:00.004-05:00

Food for Thought, a photoblog supported by Second Harvest Food Bank and dedicated to showing the faces of hunger, has a new post up about St. Luke's Community House. Photographer Susan Adcock recently spent time with Jill Williams and Ted McKinney, two of our food bank volunteers. Thanks, Susan. We know your work will raise awareness of the issue in Middle Tennessee.

Why a nonprofit's web presence matters

2008-08-25T11:25:00.002-05:00

This piece from a Delaware news source makes the case clearly why it's important for a nonprofit to have a strong Web presence.

Sissy Harris, owner of Peter Kate Shoes in Greenville, is doing her best to change that by collecting new and gently used shoes for Soles 4 Souls, a nonprofit group that donates shoes to people around the world.

Harris read about the charity online and decided to set up a collection box inside her store, offering customers a 15 percent discount if they bring shoes to donate.

“There are shoes out there, sitting in the backs of our closets, that someone would treasure,” she said.

The piece goes on to talk about the reason the Nashville-based nonprofit was founded:

Millions of people were forced to live in third-world conditions after the tsunami struck Southeast Asia in 2004. It generated horrific images of devastation that inspired Soles 4 Souls founder Wayne Elsey to start a shoe drive to help tsunami victims.

He founded the organization in Nashville, Tenn., after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and his organization has distributed millions of shoes. The shoes are sent to areas struck by natural disasters, camps for disadvantaged children and abuse shelters around the world.

Soles 4 Souls estimates that more than 1.5 billion pairs of wearable shoes are sitting in closets across the country, gathering dust. Harris has collected more than 100 pairs of them in two days and hopes to gather many more of those billions before the collection ends on Sept. 11.

Power rate going up 20%

2008-08-21T09:29:00.003-05:00

The Tennessee Valley Authority has announced that its rates will be going up 20 percent starting October 1. A combination of rising costs for natural gas and coal as well as low rainfall having an impact on electricity generated by dams is to blame. Consumers will feel the pinch, according to the Tennessean:

This could translate to $15-$20 more a month for the average residential customer using 1,300 kilowatt hours of power.

The increase will also affect working families because of the need for cutbacks at businesses:

David Penn, director of MTSU's Business and Economic Research Center, called the increase "substantial." "When costs go up — this is costs for all sectors, households, state and local governments and business — that means we have to cut back on electricity use or cut spending on something else."

Bobby Glenn, general manager of a Panansonic aluminum foil electroplating plant, said his plant's electricity costs have skyrocketed by $3 million this year, compared to last year. The increase will mean paying another $1 million more, he said. The changes "threaten the very survival of our business," he said.

At St. Luke's Community House, we have certainly noticed an increasing need for Emergency Financial Assistance, a program which, among other things, helps residents of West Nashville with their utility bills. The announced TVA rate increase may not be noticed in mild month of October, but once November and December roll around the impact will be clear.

If you would like to make a contribution to our work to help us keep pace with the rising demand for our services, click here . We are grateful for every gift. Your support means a lot to our neighbors.

Volunteer Financial Literacy Instructor Needed

2008-08-15T12:10:00.002-05:00

NEEDED: Volunteer Financial Literacy Instructor

The 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month

for

1 1/2 hours anytime between 9am - 2pm.

St. Luke’s Workforce Development Program offers free financial literacy classes to residents in West Nashville. The class curriculum teaches the attendees how to make a family budget, how to eliminate unnecessary spending, and the importance of having an emergency savings fund.

We offer day and evening times for this class, and we currently are looking for an inspired volunteer to teach the daytime class, which is 10-11:30am. If your schedule doesn’t accommodate the 10-11:30, that’s ok, we can have the class anytime between 9am and 2pm. It’s really up to you.

We will provide you with financial literacy teaching materials, and you are welcome to create your own lesson plan based on these materials.

For more information about this unique volunteer opportunity, please contact Laura Maria at 324-8375.

Unemployment rising in Tennessee

2008-08-15T09:18:00.004-05:00

The Tennessee unemployment rate is at its highest since May 1987 based on the July numbers of 6.9 percent. That compares to a national rate of 5.7 percent.

“Compared to last year, Tennessee continues to see job losses in manufacturing, professional/business services and financial activities employment,” said Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development James Neeley.

Hat tip to Nashvillest for the link to the story.

The rise in the unemployment rate certainly helps explain the increasing demand for services that we are seeing at St. Luke's Community House. Families are hurting as one or more of the adults face job loss and stagnant wages while the consumer price index rises. The $.30 + drop in gas prices is coming just in time to provide a little relief. But families in West Nashville who were already struggling are doing their best to keep up with new challenges.

Wanted: Food bank volunteer

2008-08-14T15:13:00.001-05:00

Wanted: Regular Tuesday Food Bank Volunteer

to pack food boxes 9am - 1:30pm.

Lunch Included!

Great working environment!

This is a great way to see the faces of the St. Luke's community as we partner with Second Harvest Food Bank to help our neighbors have access to the food they need.

Your volunteer time will make a difference for our hungry neighbors and the staff of St. Luke's as our food bank is one of the busiest of St. Luke's programs.

For more information, contact Laura Maria at 324-8375.

We're also recruiting for a volunteer to teach our mid-day finance class on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month. More information will be available about this volunteer opportunity very soon.

What ever happened to...

2008-08-14T12:14:00.002-05:00

the Charlotte Parker blog? It was a great resource covering West Nashville. With so few newspapers covering this part of the city, blogs have become an essential source for news about West Nashville.

Vote for us in the Nashville Scene's Best of Nashville Reader's Poll

2008-08-13T13:49:00.004-05:00

If you believe in the mission of St. Luke's Community House and would like for our work to receive more recognition, consider going to the Nashville Scene's Best of Nashville Reader's Poll and voting for us. There are a lot of questions, but you only have to vote in 25 categories for your vote to count.

Make sure to vote on question 126-Best Charity Event (St. Luke's Roast & Toast) and question 237-Best Nonprofit (St. Luke's Community House). Your support means a lot.

Vote here

We Recommend: Center for Nonprofit Management's blog

2008-08-12T15:50:00.003-05:00

It's hard to be involved in the Nashville nonprofit world and not wander over to the Center for Nonprofit Management's website once in a while. One of the real gems on the site is something you might overlook--their blog called "nonprofit connect." You can find it here or you can hunt for the link on the homepage.

CNM's blog provides the latest news and analysis of the trends that are shaping nonprofits nationally and here in Nashville. But there are also many handy tips and leads that put you in touch with the help you need to make your nonprofit as effective it can be. You'll get hooked and become a regular reader.

Nonprofit closing doors sign of sluggish economy

2008-08-12T14:11:00.004-05:00

The Nashville Scene's Pith in the Wind discusses the imminent closing of Better Tomorrows Adult Education Center in East Nashville.

The interim executive director sees the combination of growing need and less money available from foundations as the culprit:

But Ashley Holland, Better Tomorrow’s interim executive director, says the real death blow came because evaporating grant money has forced more non-profits to look toward local companies for funds.

“The amount of donation requests has tripled or quadrupled since July,” says Holland.

With more hands reaching for a smaller pot, Better Tomorrow’s wasn't able to weather the storm. Its doors will officially close next month.

Demand for our services at St. Luke's Community House is increasing. Rising pricing have made a noticeable impact upon the finances of our neighbors in West Nashville. We are fortunate in that revenue is so far keeping pace with the need, but we never take that support for granted. If you would like to make a contribution to the work of St. Luke's, click here.

Bargains for a cause on Georgia Avenue

2008-08-11T14:08:00.003-05:00

If your budget is hurting in this tough economy, and you're looking for books, clothes, furniture, etc., don't forget to check out the This 'N' That Thrift Shop. Located at 5007 Georgia Avenue in West Nashville, This 'N' That gives all its profits to St. Luke's Community House. Run completely by wonderful volunteers, the shop is also a great place to drop off donations. If you are cleaning house or moving or simply making room for new things, consider donating your used goods to This 'N' That.

Often featured in the Tennessean's Ms. Cheap column, the This 'N' That Thrift Shop is a hidden, but easy to find treasure on the West side of town. Come check it out.

5007 Georgia Avenue
Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 292-4032
Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Friday, 10:00-4:00
Saturday, 10:00-1:00
Closed Monday

St. Luke's in the News: A shout out from Book 'em

2008-08-05T12:19:00.003-05:00

Our partners at Book 'em were kind enough to mention St. Luke's Community House in a piece in today's Tennessean. Cindee Gold and Pat Patrick discuss the organization's work of having distributed over 1 Million books to children in the area.

Nashville's children receive books from Book'em all the time, but they may not even realize it. Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Tots and St. Luke's Community House are a few examples of programs and organizations that distribute books from Book'em.

A visit from Regions

2008-08-05T12:04:00.002-05:00

St. Luke's welcomed Regions Bank today as they planned their United Way campaign and took a tour. We have also begun to plan our campaign at St. Luke's.

Welcome, TN Literacy Coalition

2008-07-11T09:33:00.002-05:00

Today St. Luke's Community House welcomes the Tennessee Literacy Coalition board having their quarterly meeting in our board room. You can read more about the good work they are doing here.

UW campaign rolling along at Bridgestone

2008-07-08T13:32:00.005-05:00

The United Way campaign is off to a good start at Bridgestone's headquarters in Nashville. A representative of Alive Hospice and I were there showcasing agencies that are funded by United Way. Posters and displays were all over the lobby, including intricate charts with activities and prizes. These were drawing particular attention from the dozens of Bridgestone employees making their way through during lunch. The mood was really upbeat. Everyone seemed to know the campaign was going on and that participation is important.

Volunteers and Churches help us maintain service levels at St. Luke's

2008-07-07T13:01:00.004-05:00

The Tennessean discussed St. Luke's in an article about nonprofit budgets being stretched thin. Given the realities of the economy, many nonprofits are seeing a huge demand for their services. The network of Churches that support St. Luke's financially and with gifts of food is helping us meet the rising demand for food assistance.

The work of our volunteers helps us keep costs low, which means more funds go directly to our neighbors in need. In the photo from the article below, Kathy Ford volunteers in the St. Luke's food bank every week.

Photo of the Day: Mobile Meals Preparation

2008-06-30T09:50:00.002-05:00

If you're a visitor to this blog, you're probably asking, "What are mobile meals?" I know I did the first time I heard that phrase. Mobile meals are the hot meals that volunteers take to seniors and disabled persons in the area. Our volunteers deliver about 100 mobile meals to residents of West Nashville every week day. If you would like to volunteer in this program that is vital to the health of our neighbors, call 324-8375.

Charitable donations held steady in 2007, AP reports

2008-06-23T08:52:00.005-05:00

The Associated Press is reporting that "donations by Americans to charities remained at 2.2 percent of gross domestic product in 2007," citing a study by Giving USA Foundation.

Given the rising price of gas and the ongoing credit crunch, 2008 may turn out differently.

"I think people are naturally worried," said Del Martin, chairwoman of Giving USA. She said smaller nonprofits are most vulnerable, but that if gas prices continue their march upward, then individual donors will cut back and the entire nonprofit sector will suffer.

So far this year, giving is holding steady at St. Luke's. A decline in giving would have a direct impact upon our ability to deliver services to our neighbors. If you would like to make a gift to St. Luke's Community House, go to https://secure.sitemason.com/site/fUOufS/donations . We are grateful to everyone who has supported us this year.

St. Luke's volunteer featured on Channel 4

2008-06-19T09:06:00.003-05:00

A story that ran on WSMV last night featured St. Luke's volunteer Bill Van Cleave, who works in our food bank. The piece highlighted the increasing demand but diminishing supply of baby items at local food banks supported by Second Harvest Food Bank.

Bill Van Cleave is a volunteer at St. Luke's Mission. "It’s been busy enough," he said.
He said seeing a child in need is never easy and that these days, he sees them more often.

Oops, they called us St. Luke's Mission, but otherwise, it is a great story that should motivate people in the community to donate baby items to Second Harvest, which will benefit St. Luke's Community House. The piece also subtly draws attention to the importance of volunteers in making a difference in the lives our neighbors. If you would like to volunteer at St. Luke's, contact us at 324-8375.

Nonprofits feeling the pinch of reduced funds from local governments

2008-06-18T15:43:00.003-05:00

Today's Tennessean discusses the difficulties local governments are having in funding requests from nonprofits.

"All departments have taken a substantial budget cut this year," said Rich Riebeling, Metro's finance director. "We felt we couldn't cut our core departments and not also cut some of the nonprofits. Everybody has to share in the tough times."

Not only is there less money available and a growing number of nonprofits applying, but the process itself has become more strict.

"We created this process to ensure that the nonprofits that are doing the most important things in the community are funded," Riebeling said. "If we are going to continue to fund charities, there has to be a process that is fair."

These realities make it imperative that nonprofits continue to diversify their revenue sources so that they are not overly exposed to hardship when one type of donor is having an off year. Becoming dependent on local government or one large donor is a recipe for instability.

Photo of the Day: The Scoreboard

2008-06-18T09:50:00.003-05:00

The scoreboard from the old gym is a blast from the past. The gym was built in 1930 and as far as we know, the scoreboard is the original one. Community basketball games, dances, skating parties, and all kinds of other community events were a regular part of the life of St. Luke's for many years. We still get visitors at St. Luke's who want a look at the old gym where they made so many good memories.

If you would like to take a tour of St. Luke's and peek inside the old gym, contact Chris Sanders at (615) 350-6936.

Photo of the Day: The Red Door

2008-06-17T13:34:00.005-05:00

The Red Door has been a part of St. Luke's since we moved into our community house in 1920 and it has been the dominant symbol for our organization for years. But why the red door? The reasons can be found in the organization's Episcopal heritage. Red doors historically have meant sanctuary. A variety of other reasons have been proposed including the one that ties church buildings with red doors to the Oxford Movement. If there is an Oxford Movement connection, it may be the emphasis on ministry to the poor that was so important to Oxford Movement clergy in London in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, which is also when St. Luke's was founded. The early benefactors of St. Luke's may have been paying tribute to that legacy.

Photo of the Day: Plaque honoring Ms. Woods's Mother

2008-06-16T13:06:00.006-05:00

Longtime St. Luke's executive director Ms. Juliet Woods (served 1926 to 1957) dedicated the plaque above the mantle in the living room to her mother who died five years after the founding of St. Luke's and two years before we moved into our present home.

Celebration of Cultures

2008-06-13T14:00:00.004-05:00

On Saturday, June 7, residents of West Nashville came together at St. Luke’s Community House for a joyful, fun celebration of cultures. One of three yearly community events organized by St. Luke’s, the June event ushers in the summertime with games, food, and a giant inflatable slide!

About 150 neighborhood residents attended the event this year, and over 40 volunteers helped make the party happen. The kids enjoyed the giant slide, the crafts from a variety of cultures, and all the games. Both parents and children alike enjoyed the abundant food and the musical performances. The door prizes were a highlight for all, and they included a fabulous last minute surprise—6 tickets to the CMA Music Fest!

Donors for this Saturday’s event were: Nashville Zoo, Adventure Science Center, Kentucky Down Under, Smoothie King, El Torero Mexican Restaurant, Rose Pepper Cantina, Jack in the Box, Cynthia Black, Tony Ruff, Shoney’s, Bellacino’s, Elm Hill Meats, Zolo’s Restaurant, Anne Sherry, and Whitt’s Barbecue. Our performers were also generous enough to donate their time: Ed Haggard and the Love Drums and Grady “Shadow Hawk” Jones. We’d also like to thank Bank of America for providing a free financial training seminar during the event.

The event serves as a great way to foster community, as well as being an easy way to introduce St. Luke’s and its services to the residents of West Nashville.

Photo of the Day

2008-06-13T11:38:00.004-05:00

The Daughters of the King Cross cornerstone dated 1920 when St. Luke's Community House moved into our present home in West Nashville. Chapters of the Daughters of the King from many parishes in the Diocese of Tennessee were involved in the early support of St. Luke's and they continue to sustain us today.

Celebration of Cultures a hit with neighbors

2008-06-10T14:44:00.003-05:00

A child from the neighborhood pauses for the camera during the St. Luke's Celebration of Cultures this past Saturday. Attended by almost 200 residents of West Nashville, the event offered food and crafts from the variety of cultures represented in our city. Over 40 volunteers helped put together the celebration.

Nonprofit collaboration a healthy trend

2008-06-10T13:58:00.002-05:00

You may have seen this article in yesterday’s Tennessean. It reports that the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee are exploring new ways to collaborate. The piece cites one of the motivating factors for the discussions--“a shortness of philanthropic dollars for nonprofit agencies in a tough economy.”

Whether times are good or tough, collaboration is a smart move for nonprofit organizations. It helps get the maximum value out of every donated dollar. St. Luke’s is able to serve the people of West Nashville with over 30 programs only by collaborating with partner agencies like Youth Encouragement Services. Without these collaborations, our $1.7 Million operating budget would be much higher and there would be substantial waste from unnecessary duplication of expenses.

Efficiency is critical at a time when unemployment and gas prices are rising. With more people in need, we can’t afford to waste any resources. If you support St. Luke’s, you can be assured that we are always looking for ways to trim expenses and find ways to deliver more services to more people more efficiently. Working with over 26 partner agencies allows us to do that every day.