Statements
Mission
The Dickson County Help Center provides temporary needs-based aid to Dickson County residents through love and dignity.
At the Dickson County Help Center, our mission is to provide immediate relief and support to the most vulnerable members of our community. As a non-profit public corporation, we have committed ourselves for over 45 years to offering food, clothing, and limited financial assistance. Our efforts primarily focus on supporting individuals, families with children, disabled adults, and older people who receive little or no government assistance and aiding those in emergencies, including victims of fires, floods, and tornadoes.
Founded with the vision of providing compassionate support, we strive to address the urgent needs of our community members caught in the aftermath of life's unforeseen challenges. We aim to ensure no one in Dickson County faces these challenges alone by providing temporary relief during their times of need.
Through partnerships with the United Way of Greater Nashville and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, we can ensure that aid is accessible to those most in need.
The generous support from individuals and businesses within the Dickson County community has been instrumental in our ongoing mission. This community engagement-through donations, volunteering, and advocacy-has also greatly enabled us to impact the lives of those we serve.
Looking ahead, the Dickson County Help Center remains dedicated to our mission of helping our community's most vulnerable. We invite you to join us in this mission. Your involvement is invaluable, whether volunteering your time, donating, or spreading the word.
Background
The Dickson County Help Center was established in the late 1960's by the Department of Human Services, Dickson County Ministerial Fellowship and concerned citizens to address rising food insecurity. After experiencing some difficulties, the Center dissolved and was reestablished in 1978 and chartered in 1979 with the late Mrs. Helen Rial leading the way. For years the Food Pantry was operated out of her home and a few other locations before securing a location in Downtown Dickson. In this location the idea of the Thrift Store was birthed to generate more revenue and by 1999, they had outgrown this location and purchased land on Myatt Street, where we grew until 2011. In 2011 we returned to Downtown Dickson to a 15,000 square foot facility.
This facility has been our home since 2011 and has undergone many changes to meet our growing needs. Despite purchasing the adjacent building in 2023 to expand our donation process center, it is evident that our space is now limited and we are now praying for a larger facility, with great parking and easy access for everyone.
We started out as a means to assist those who face hunger insecurity, and now we assist in a multitude of ways because of the continued support of our community.
Impact
Our Impact in 2023
4,883 Individuals provided food assistance through our Food Bank, across 2,015 Families.
1 Mobile Food Pantry per month (total 12 for the year) assisting over 300 families each month. Many of these families never come through our doors.
300+ Children receive weekend food packs every Friday to ensure they have food while not in school.
576 Families received financial assistance, through rent/mortgage assistance, utility assistance, or temporary lodging.
1,189 Families received Thanksgiving Turkeys along with traditional holiday meal items.
1,397 Children received brand new toys at our Annual Christmas Store Toy Giveaway.
Needs
1. Improve Thrift Store sales by encouraging the community to donate quality items so that we can generate additional revenue for financial assistance program.
2. Provide additional assistance to those elderly and disabled neighbors who are in need of prescription medications and home repairs ($20,000).
3. We need program material and volunteers to implement a Financial Counseling class.
4. We are in need of a larger facility to increase our Food Warehouse and Client Choice Food Pantry area. A larger space would help us to be more accommodating to those who require wheelchair assistance and easier access with ample parking.
CEO Statement
We believe that if we do the right things with the gifts that we receive, the Lord will continue to bless us as we serve those in need in our community.
We are often asked who we will and will not serve...here is where we stand. We will not discriminate against anyone, regardless of their lifestyle, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, etc. We are not here to judge, nor condemn...we are here to help. With that being said, if a person (regardless of who they are) comes in who is chronically unemployed, who choses not to work or take necessary steps to better their situation or is unwilling to work with us, they will be denied. We are not here to help those who are unwilling to do what is needed to help themselves. We are here to help those who are in a temporary state of need, whose income is less than what is needed to live a modest lifestyle, have been involved in a natural disaster, or who live in poverty due to circumstances beyond their control. In order to be the best stewards of our resources, we implemented and administer the Charity Tracker Network for Dickson County. This is an online database that is available to approved agencies in Dickson County. Through this network, local agencies and churches can work together to meet the needs of those we serve, while identifying those who seek to abuse the system. As our network grows, thanks to funding by United Way of Greater Nashville, it has become a valuable tool in making sure that help goes to those who truly need it.
To give our supporters a better understanding of what we do, we are always available for walk through tours. We are blessed by our facility and feel that when a potential donor comes in for a tour, they will leave with a better understanding of not only what we do, but why we do what we do. Our goal is to show them how we can work together to make a difference in our community. Thank you for taking the time to visit our profile today. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Renee Boehm, Executive Director
Service Categories |
|
| Primary Category: | Human Services - Emergency Assistance (Food, Clothing, Cash) |
| Secondary Category: | Food, Agriculture & Nutrition - Food Banks, Food Pantries |
| Tertiary Category: | Housing, Shelter - Fund Raising & Fund Distribution |
Areas Served
Our services are primarily for residents of Dickson County, with the exceptions of transients and those referred by local social workers and medical professionals. We also extend our food support to neighboring counties that do not have Food Pantries.
| TN - Dickson |
