Statements

Mission

The mission of Unlimited Potential is to build a connected, thriving community where families and individuals unlock their potential through resources, mentoring, and skill development. Together, we create a brighter, empowered future.

Background

The Unlimited Potential Community Development Corporation (Unlimited Potential, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established by the First Baptist Church located at 290 East Winchester Street in Gallatin, Tennessee. For over 150 years, First Baptist Church has maintained a unique and invaluable presence in the Gallatin community. When many older congregations were faced with the dilemma of remaining in land-locked small and changing communities or relocating to more spacious and affluent areas, First Baptist Church chose not only to remain in the place of its origin, but to be an agent for transformational development in Gallatin and Sumner County. Incorporation papers were filed and Unlimited Potential, Inc. became an incorporated entity in the state of Tennessee in March, 2002. Unlimited Potential Inc. seeks to empower underserved and underrepresented communities through four foundational programs: (1) summer education training, enrichment, and skill development program for at-risk pre-kindergarten, elementary, and middle-school students, (2) financial and home buyer education, (3) low income housing and (4) feeding program for vulnerable seniors in the Gallatin community and the homeless population in Sumner County.

Impact

The community efforts of the Unlimited Potential Community Development Corporation have significantly affected the lives of many in the Gallatin community. Our Community Life Center houses a regulation sized gymnasium, a state of the art weight room and a fitness room that is open to the public. We have Open Gym where the youth in community have a safe place to gather and play sports, work-out, and exercise. Youth and adults utilize the Center which encourages them to exercise and embark on a healthy lifestyle. Unlimited Potential also sponsors a city-wide youth basketball and cheerleading league that hade more 200 participants from grades K4-5th grade. The league has transformed from Upward to our own Unlimited Potential Athletics Youth League. In addition to teaching sports training, we also promote moral values to apply to their everyday living situations. We provide a unique sports experience that develops young athletes mentally, athletically, spiritually, and socially; we provide approximately 3,400 meals to vulnerable senior citizens in the Gallatin community, providing hot, nutritious meals once a week, and we provide Care Packages to seniors in the community providing toiletries and necessities; hold summer educational enrichment camps for more than 125 elementary and middle school students, work with high school graduates and assist in applying for college admission and scholarship opportunities, and provided college scholarship to a first time college student for non-traditional college at-risk students; offered classes to first time home buyers to prepare them for the challenges of buying and maintaining a home. Because we had to pivot during the pandemic, October 2020, we provided over 13,000 boxes of food that fed over 39,000 people. We formed partnerships with Volunteer State Community College, Portland Cares, Portland Pay It Forward and Sumner County Missions to help us distribute the food all over the county. We also formed partnerships with 14 organizations and churches to assist us with our Stay Warm Shelter program.

Needs

1) Funding to expand summer educational enrichment program ($30,750 budget); 2) Funding to expand feeding program to vulnerable seniors ($6,500 budget); 3) Funding to increase home education and personal finance planning program ($5,000 budget); 4) Funding to allow us to create free programs in the area of fitness and technology training to mature citizens in our community which includes youth sports programming and transportation costs for the various programs. Our country does not have public transportation. ($30,000); 5) Stay Warm Shelter (Sumner County Homeless) needs non-perishable items and toiletries for the homeless in our county to make bags to hand out. We go to where they are to provide these necessities. We also need storage for donations. ($15,000); 6) Funding for food and transportation surcharge for quarterly Second Harvest Drive Thru Mobile Food Pantries if we don't receive grants from Second Harvest for the food giveaway ($10,,000)

CEO Statement

Unlimited Potential Community Development Corporation (Unlimited Potential, Inc.) has a strong commitment to being a conduit for opportunities and services to underserved and underrepresented persons in the Gallatin community. Our organization values education for young and aged alike, caring for senior citizens and affordable home ownership as foundational to the transformational development of vulnerable communities. Unlimited Potential, Inc. also values improving the quality of life for vulnerable seniors and homeless by providing services that improve their health and overall well-being. We are uniquely focused on the "least of these" in the Gallatin community. Unlimited Potential Community Life Center gymnasium affords us the opportunity to add sports to our offerings to the community. This is important because we can now aid our community members with cost effective means of adding fitness, exercise, and sports to their way of life, resulting in healthier lifestyles to better fulfill our mission of facilitating services and opportunities for all segments of our community. In addition, we have provided a space for home schooled athletes who do not have access to a gymnasium.

Board Chair Statement

Unlimited Potential Community Development Corporation offers opportunities and services that will improve their quality of life and facilitate community development in the Gallatin and Sumner Community. I am proud to serve with this organization because of the commitment to serving those who are often overlooked and/or discounted by society. It also provides a safe space for all types of activities in a kind, positive environment.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Youth Development  - Youth Development Programs
Secondary Category:	Human Services  - Family Services
Tertiary Category:	Housing, Shelter  - Housing & Shelter NEC

Areas Served

UP is a conduit for opportunities and services to underserved and underrepresented persons in Sumner County. Emphasis is placed on the elderly and youth in the community and often, many in this population rely on support and assistance. Our goal is to be a path that leads to transformational development for those that need our assistance. 9.7% of the population for whom the poverty status is determined in Sumner County, TN live BELOW the poverty line and live within walking distance.

TN - Sumner