Family Affair Ministries, Inc.
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615-228-0125
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1500 Porter Road Suite B-4
Nashville, TN 37206
Organization Details

Statements

Mission

Family Affair Ministries, Inc.'s mission is to provide support and enrichment to children and their families in low-income communities in an effort to 'Restore Families, Rebuild Communities, Through God's Hand Extended'. Our goal is to transform and restore families by guiding them on a pathway from poverty to productivity to prosperity. Our approach to family transformation, restoration, and community rebuilding is like the "One-Stop-Shop System" designed to destroy the systemic external and internal elements that sustain poverty.

Background

In August 1988, God placed a vision in the heart of Glenda Gleaves and began to minister the importance and power of the family in Christ. Glenda says, "God has a sense of humor", He called her to minister to families after her first marriage ended horribly. The vision God gave Glenda is multi-faceted and includes bridging the gap between race, gender, social economic class, and religious denominations. The vision encompasses all that is needed for individual, family and community change. In 1989, Glenda and her sons came to Nashville and acquired housing in James A. Cayce Homes, the cities largest housing project. Moved by the overwhelming family needs in Cayce, Glenda and her boys began ministering and offering support to children, single mothers and grandmothers raising their grandchildren. Glenda taught the young mothers how to budget, plan meals, and shop for groceries; and with assistance from her sons they helped the children with reading and other school work. As years past more children and their families came, and in 1998 Family Affair Ministries Fellowship was established. In March 2000, Family Affair Ministries, Inc. (FAM) was created and incorporated as a 501c3. The mission, Restoring Families...Rebuilding Communities... Through God's Hand Extended, is multi-faceted. The approach to restoration and rebuilding is likened to a "one-stop-shop system" designed to destroy the external and internal elements that sustain poverty, and move families from a life of poverty to productivity. We provide resources to families through the operation of Family Centers located in low-income housing communities. Our goal is to operate 12 family centers located throughout Middle TN. Services provided through the Family Centers include training and workshops on the foundation of 'Family' and family values. Children /Youth Services; Medical/Dental Services; Senior Services; Community Development; and Job Skills Training are also provided. over the years we have partnered with several organizations toward the fulfillment of the mission: CWA/Cayce Neighborhood Network Learning Center; Martha O'Bryan Center, Alcohol and Drug Council; Metro Parks and Recreation/South Inglewood Center and Parkwood Center; Center for Student Missions; Metro Nashville Public Schools in the Stratford and Hunter's Lane High School Clusters; Juvenile Court; Tennessee Department of Education; New River Fellowship; and Church of Redeemer.

Impact

During the past 33 years, we have accomplished the following in neighborhoods in the South, North, and East Nashville communities: 1. Each year more than 300 students and their families completed leadership and character development training in the 'I...AM' accountability and leadership course.; 2. Family Kitchen staff has trained and certified more than 100 individuals in the community and 65 individuals within the penal system in the National Restaurant Association's Food Service Safety Management course 'Serv-Safe'. 3. Each year more than 600 children and their families received nutritious meals weekly, 70 disabled residents received lunch meals weekly, and 200 seniors received emergency food boxes and home visits. 4. Each year more than 200 children & youth in grades pre-k thru 12th receive homework assistance each year, and 250 middle and high school students participate in our ACT Test preparation sessions at least three times a year. Each summer 150 children participate in our four-week summer camp. 5. Each year more than 600 families received emergency food boxes, emergency clothing, household items, and furniture. Ten families were also placed in our transitional houses and were registered to receive services from other programs. 6. FAM was instrumental in bringing a Dollar General Store to Berkshire Place Apartments. This store not only provides jobs for residents, but it gives residents easy access to food, clothing, and household items. Our goals for the current year are to 1. Increase the number of public and private donors. 2. Create annual fundraising events 3. Hire full-time staff that will focus on fundraising and marketing. 4. Implement after-school activity clubs in Reading, Math, STEM, and Art, through The Learning Zone which serves school-aged children ages 5-18. 5. Establish two new training classes for ServSafe to bring in revenues.

Needs

The March 3, 2020 tornado and the COVID19 pandemic changed everything for us. The needs of the residents we serve have positioned us to become a seven-point community resource distribution center. Through the distribution center, we provide Reading and afterschool resources for school-age children, a Book Drop Box, Reading Buddies; Computer Lab for Job search and completion of job applications; Assist Seniors/Elderly and disabled individuals with shopping and foodservice delivery; Distribute cleaning baskets, hygiene bags, non-perishable food, and grocery store gift cards; Distribute household items including furniture, bedding/linen, and small appliances; Provide financial assistance to help with rent and utilities, and Provide referrals to community-wide resources and counseling services.

We need funding to continue to distribute resources to families. We are not able to provide families with our traditional in-person classroom comprehensive training and workshops on family development, Job Training/ Computer lab equipment, Computer lab training for Seniors, GED/Adult Education, Senior Services, and our Children & Youth programs. We are delivering resources to residents using our mobile ministry van. We need 25 volunteers monthly for our outdoor community events.

CEO Statement

In 1988, while sitting in the air control tower the vision for Family Affair Ministries was birthed in my heart. The vision grew from the seed that had been sown called new beginning. I was in desperate need of a fresh start because everything and everyone in my life had either fallen apart or abandoned me. Suddenly, I felt as though I had no future, no hope, and no joy! Family Affair Ministries, Inc. was birthed to cause people who have forgotten, to remember and those who never knew, to know. Family restoration allows us to address needs of the whole person within a family to see an outward change that affects all members of a family. We serve people who have been just trying to make it with people called family who really do not know what family looks like. The awareness of who you can be is the heartbeat of this organization. This is accomplished through the use of practical hands on instruction, encouragement, and resource provision to stimulate and engage people who have lost their identity to find their place in the world. We restore families because of genuine love for the whole man. Community rebuilding can come about when the person sees themselves differently and desires to change where they reside. We rebuild communities because legacy is passed down. We want this generation and the next to know and understand real life in a nurturing and productive environment called your neighborhood. The end result is productive citizens to arise in our society. Will you help us meet people where they are and give direction to where they can go? Let's help them remember. Let's cause them to know.

Board Chair Statement

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Family Affair Ministries, Inc {FAM}. As a local businessman and Chairman of the Board, I have served with FAM for over 22 years. FAM has been a blessing to me as well as everyone else who has been touched by them. This ministry serves the poor and elderly in East, South, and North Nashville with the goal to grow and expand to the entire Nashville area. Since its beginnings in the projects of Nashville, FAM has helped others by being God's hand extended. As a faith-based ministry, it has survived primarily, through a handful of people that have committed their lives, talents, hard work, and prayers to help others. Financial support for the ministry comes from corporate and individual donations, grants, and partnering with other Not-for-profits such as Second Harvest Food Bank. Most of the grants available require upfront spending and then submission of expenses to the grantor for remittance. This process makes it very difficult to operate as making ends meet is an everyday challenge. Prayer and the gifts from the generous keep FAM alive. Unwavering faith in God and his teachings is the power and strength for FAM. Pastor Glenda, her husband, and board members have accepted a commitment to help others 24/7 and have attracted other like-minded people who work for little or no monetary gain. In the past 15 years, East Nashville has blossomed. Businesses and the neighborhood that surround FAM's home in the Berkshire Place Apartments are beginning to thrive. The presence of the ministry has been a positive social influence in this transformation just as it has been in the lives of the 1200 families it serves annually. After-school supervision, tutoring, summer camp, and other activities help the local people address the needs of their own community. The Board, only now, understands the financial plight that FAM is in. Faith-based organizations survive through the generous gifts of others. Corporations and individuals can participate in God's work through gifts of money, time, and resources. FAM is a wonderful organization and very worthy of your consideration. Thank you for considering Family Affair Mininstries, Inc. as a potential candidate for your monetary and philanthropic investment. Your donation is a great investment in your well-being and an even greater investment in the life of another.


Service Categories

Primary Category: Human Services  - Family Services 
Secondary Category: Youth Development  - Youth Development Programs 
Tertiary Category: Employment  - Job Training 

Areas Served

The priority targeted neighborhoods for implementation are East Nashville in the South Inglewood, Riverside Drive areas. However, we are receiving an increased number of calls for assistance from more families from the middle TN area.

TN - Davidson
TN - Rutherford
TN - Williamson
TN - Wilson