Beech Creek Ministries, Inc.
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615-651-1999
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3101 Curtis Street
Nashville, TN 37218
Organization Details

Statements

Mission

Assist in the educational, social and economical challenges faced by members of our community by providing programs and initiatives to address and eliminate these conditions.

Background

The Center for Imagination (CFI) was born out of the youth ministry that started in 2006 as an after school tutoring program. The program was supported by retired teachers, business professionals, and individuals. Homework assistance was the main focus of the program. By 2008 Beech Creek Ministries Inc. was formed and the Center for Imagination was established to assist students from Pre-K through 12th grade. The program expanded to include field trips, professional guest speakers, attending cultural events, all to enhance academic achievement and cultural self awareness. Serving primarily the NW Bordeaux Nashville area, CFI went to a two-day a week format during the 2011-2012 school year. Activities included homework assistance, one-on-one tutoring, ACT and SAT prep assistance, and a greater emphasis with students on literacy, and reading comprehension. In 2012-2013 CFI was selected as an Anchor Partner for the Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA) afterschool program for middle school students. CFI expanded to a four day a week format with students attending Joelton, IT Creswell, Brick Church Middle and the other schools in the surrounding community. The 2019-2020 school calendar year will mark the eight year Beech Creek Ministries has served as a NAZA anchor partner. Beech Creek Ministries through the work at the Center for Imagination attempts to be a bridge to the future of a youth who have the potential to change the world through science, technology, or medical discovery. Through creative minds, community partnerships, the Center for Imagination have provided a safe environment for more than 800 youth attending the after school program; distributed over 6000 week-end snack bags to the CFI families and kids in the community through a relationship with The Bridge, Inc.; developed a community partnership with Pathway Women's Business Center and created the 'Warming Hearts Campaign' where more than 300 youth have received a new coat, hat, scarves, and gloves since the project started four years ago. Other partners have offered art, life skills, creative writing, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, STEM, and more. Over 3,748 volunteer hours have been performed by individuals, high school, and college students.

Impact

IMPACT STATEMENTChildren who are considered "at risk" seem to have one thing in common; poverty and its effects. These children are more likely to drop out of school, get put out of school, and/or have a negative encounter with the justice system. All of which increases the likelihood of perpetuating the effects of poverty in their communities and their families. Studies have shown that when the effects of poverty can be mitigated, there is a corresponding increase in their academic performance. The Center for Imagination (CFI) seeks to mitigate the effects of poverty for the children in our program, thereby increasing their academic performance and the likelihood of graduation by focusing on the following three goals:Accomplishment #1 - Creating a strong sense of self, by engaging in activities and programs that promote healthy psychological and personality development. CFI continued successfully to offer The Courage To Be program to the middle school students through specific project activities, guest speakers, literacy book reading, and exercises that focused on self-awareness and self-esteem building activities.Accomplishment #2 - Expand one's worldview. CFI continued to exposed our students to the arts, music, history, science, and current events. In the past to years, CFI has conducted an entrepreneurship project, automotive classes, creative writing, engaged in media production, a financial literacy series, and more. CFI enhanced its literacy efforts by providing a literacy coach, specific literacy activities, and partnering with other organizations such as the National Black Child Development Institute.Accomplishment #3 - Assist them in making choices that will allow them to take care of themselves and one other person. CFI continued to expose our children to college, and the many trades and professions that do not require a college degree, but can provide a stable income and a sense of accomplishment.If you are raised up in poverty, one is impacted by health related matters. During the school year our Healthy Bodies Lead to Healthy Minds model was expanded with a health information project. The project was supported by the United Health Foundation in partnership with the National Medical Fellowship Diverse Medical Scholars Program with the goal of increasing the conversation of health related matters with our children, parents, homes, and the community.In order to meet the challenges to provide a high quality afterschool program, Beech Creek Ministries goals are to: attract and retain quality paid staff, fund creative new, expand existing programs, and update technological tools.

Needs

Updating computer technology, 35 passenger bus, Volunteers, Enhancement Partners that can expose our youth to various careers, businesses, and professions.

CEO Statement

The Center for Imagination (CFI) strives to go beyond the classroom routine to offer students a variety of avenues to 1) enhance their academic skills through creative learning games and computer technology that focuses on math, literacy, and science, 2) exposing our youth to the world around them by bringing in speakers from different professions, taking on various projects such as entrepreneurship, introducing them to gardening, hands-on activities, 3) focusing on their social and emotional development through cultural awareness sessions, field trips to help them to learn how to manage emotions, resolve conflicts, and make responsible decisions. What makes CFI unique - Over ninety-eight percent of the youth that participates in the CFI program live below the proverty line, and are considered 'at risk'. CFI places a lot of emphasis on engaging with the parents and having activities that include them such as our Family Literacy Night, making home visits, monitoring class room performance, and developing trusting relationships. Ultimately, if we strengthen the family, the child improves his or her behavior, their relationships with their peers, and academic performance.

Board Chair Statement

Founded in 2008, Beech Creek Ministries seeks to mitigate the effects of poverty on the poor, primarily in the North Nashville area. Taking a special interest in youth, BCM operates The Center For Imagination (CFI), an after school program Monday through Thursday during the school year. We have served over 800 children, providing them with a safe place, hot food and some of the necessities of life. Focusing on three objectives; CFI seeks to assist children living in poverty to: 1) develop a strong sense of Self, 2) Give them a Worldview they can use, and 3) develop a plan to economically provide for themselves and one other person. BCM also provides advocacy for the poor in the areas of educational justice, criminal justice reform, housing, healthcare and economic development. After 10 years, the services we provide continue to be in great demand. Child poverty rates are still too high, black and brown children are still incarcerated because of poverty, areas where poor people live are still to dangerous, too many children still go to bed hungry or food threatened, low income and workforce housing continues to disappear, graduation rates among children raised below or near the poverty line continue to decline, and health outcomes among this segment of our population continues to fall below the nation's averages. Would you consider joining us in our struggle to help "the least of these", to not just survive, but thrive?


Service Categories

Primary Category: Community Improvement, Capacity Building  - Community & Neighborhood Development 
Secondary Category: Youth Development  -  
Tertiary Category: -

Areas Served

Beech Creek Ministries, Inc., serves the Northwest Nashville area also known as Bordeaux.

TN - Davidson