Statements

Mission

Our mission is to provide educational opportunities, life skills instruction, and training in the arts through the power and in the name of Jesus Christ.

Background

Cottage Cove has been serving at-risk children in Nashville for 25 years (founded in 1994 by Tom and Kim Shumate, incorporated in 1995). Directed by Brent and Angie MacDonald since 2002, Cottage Cove is a non-profit, non-denominational Christian, tax-exempt 501(c)3 ministry outreach focusing on at-risk children and youth - with year-round daily programs. Initially in the Vine Hill district of Nashville, Cottage Cove now has three facilities: Cottage Cove Madison, Cottage Cove Tusculum, and Cottage Cove Glencliff, serving about 100 children daily. Our daily children's programs are free of charge to all participants and their families. All owned properties are paid for, and Cottage Cove runs on funds provided by donations. Cottage Cove has a diverse, independent, and active board of directors. Our primary service is an out-of-school program for children and youth (kindergarten through high school graduation). Further, we have an expanded daily summer program. Staff maintains involvement with the local schools, the children's teachers, and their parents. Cottage Cove's staff develops programming and curriculum. These programs include daily snacks and a reward store where children earn 'points' through their attendance, participation, and behavior, enabling them to save and purchase things they need and want - learning that things of value come with work. Each location has a playground and recreation area. Students earn field trip 'stars' through their homework, academic achievements, and reading. These field trips include sports events, visiting businesses and nature reserves, educational events, and more. Daily and summer programs include coding, STEM electives, Bible study, and elective Bible memorization. Our regular educational programs include tutoring, homework help, reading, computer academic classes, and an internal testing program. Arts classes include general music, guitar, percussion, voice, choir, and piano. Other courses and activities include crafts, visual arts, dance, science, gymnastics, jewelry making, and life skills classes such as cooking, sewing, and public speaking.

Impact

Cottage Cove provides homework help, tutoring, life skills classes, Bible study, music, and arts classes for up to 108 at-risk children daily. We serve approximately 500 unique students/clients annually through all our programs. Along with educational progress recorded at Cottage Cove, the effects of this intervention have been measurably demonstrated through progress reports from the local school and verbal reports from teachers and parents. General improvement in the children's character over time, while harder to quantify, is visible to our staff and volunteers and their teachers and parents. Our three most significant annual goals: Academic improvement by at least one extra year for all students lower than their current grade standing in Mathematics, Academic improvement by at least one extra year for all students lower than their current grade standing in Reading/Spelling, and to identify a personal focus, and encourage each student in excelling at an individual area of the arts. Our three most significant accomplishments for the past year are: Marked improvement academically in the students testing lowest in core academics. All students have attained and daily use manners and visible displays of respect for authority. 90% of our students have mastered an area of essential life skills, arts training, or STEM electives.

Needs

The current top needs for Cottage Cove include: Additional after-school volunteers for tutoring and homework help, especially at our Madison and Tusculum locations. An additional full time program staff member - meaning additional financial supporters and/or annual sponsors, to increase program staffing ($35,000). Further, we require a new 15-passenger min-bus ($60,000). Renovation and expansion projects are ongoing at Cottage Cove Tusculum and Cottage Cove Glencliff.

CEO Statement

Cottage Cove provides a unique balance of programs enabling at-risk children not merely to survive, but rather to acquire the tools necessary to thrive. The loving and caring environment created by our staff and volunteers, teaches the children that love is not based upon performance but rather as a result of who they are; God's children. In the safety and acceptance of Cottage Cove it provides a special location where children of all ages and races are able to learn respect for authority, and each other, along with good character traits and valuable life lessons so they have the keys to develop a life of integrity and honor.

Board Chair Statement

Cottage Cove stretches every dollar to maximize its impact on this community and provide quality programs for children and youth. We have a small professional staff that is passionate in their service. One ongoing challenge for Cottage Cove is securing sufficient annual support to pay our staff sufficient wages to encourage long term stability. The board has made this a specific focus of its efforts over the next few years. Further we are seeking to add additional board members to join us in this task.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Religion- Related  - Christianity
Secondary Category:	Youth Development  - Youth Development Programs
Tertiary Category:	Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Arts,Culture & Humanities NEC

Areas Served

Cottage Cove presently serves three primary areas in Nashville: the area surrounding the Vine Hill district, the area surrounding Tusculum Elementary plus the area surrounding Stratton Elementary/Madison Middle School in Madison. Over 2022-2023 we will be expanding into Nashville's Glencliff neighborhood.

TN - Davidson