As we begin a new year, we want to introduce you to some of the people we have the privilege of knowing through Community Care Fellowship. These individuals are not just guests in our space — they are our neighbors.
We are called to serve our neighbors in tangible ways: through meals, laundry services, hot showers, and other practical expressions of care. But in the midst of that service, something unexpected happens. They serve us, too.
Through their stories, resilience, perseverance, and honesty, our neighbors remind us of the strength of the human spirit and the dignity present in every life. They teach us what it means to endure, to hope, and to keep showing up — even when life has been hard.
That’s why we’re launching a campaign we’re calling Meet Your Neighbors.
This is an invitation to move beyond labels and assumptions, and into relationship. To see people not as needs to be met, but as neighbors to be known. We want you to hear their stories, see their humanity, and recognize the shared ground that connects us all.
Because when we truly meet our neighbors, we don’t just change how we serve — we change how we see.
Let’s Talk – (615) 227-1953
Meet Your Neighbors
Rick and Leo A Story of Resilience and Renewal. When Rick walked through the doors of Community Care Fellowship with his 15-year-old son, Leo, he was carrying more than the weight of homelessness. He was grieving the loss of his wife, managing serious health challenges, and trying to remain strong for the only family he had left.
In a matter of months, Rick’s life had changed completely. After becoming the sole provider for his teenage son, the emotional toll of loss and unexpected medical complications made it impossible to maintain steady employment.
Medical bills mounted. Savings dwindled. Stability slipped away. Yet even in the midst of uncertainty, Rick’s focus never wavered from doing everything he could to take care of his son.
Shelter options are limited for single fathers, but CCF was able to be a life-saving resource for Rick and Leo. At the Mobile Housing Navigator Center, Rick was fully engaged in case management services, working diligently to stabilize his health and connect with community resources.
He ensured his son remained enrolled in school, preserving a sense of normalcy during an otherwise turbulent season. With guidance and determination, Rick began exploring career paths aligned with his strengths and long-term goals.
His perseverance paid off: he secured employment in a field that offers stability, benefits, and renewed purpose. At the same time, he partnered with CCF’s housing team to secure permanent housing. Today, Rick and his son are settling into their own apartment — not just housed, but rebuilding.
“I couldn’t change what happened to us,” Rick shared, “but I could choose to keep showing up for my son. CCF gave us the support we needed to start again.”
Rick’s journey reminds us that behind every statistic is a neighbor navigating grief, responsibility, and hope. Through partnership, compassion, and consistent support, stability becomes possible.
This is what the Meet Your Neighbor campaign is all about: seeing the humanity, the resilience, and the potential in every person who walks through our doors.
Today, we share a story of reunion and resilience with a family of five, whom we have recently been able to support because of your generosity.
The family came to us navigating homelessness alongside deeply complex challenges. The mother was managing her own mental health while caring for her oldest daughter with a disability, who required significant daily support. They were staying in an overcrowded women's shelter, a temporary roof, but an incomplete one. The father could not be there with them, even as his presence was vital to the health and well-being of their child.
Without transportation, the father commuted over 35 minutes each way to work. The family relied on city buses to get their oldest child to school. Each day required extraordinary effort, and yet they kept showing up for each other, and for the future they were working toward.
How CCF walked alongside them:
• Reuniting the family
When space became available in our family shelter, we were able to bring the entire family together under one roof, a turning point that made everything else possible.
• Supporting the mother's well-being
We connected the two youngest children with quality daycare, giving their mother dedicated time to focus on her mental health and begin taking meaningful next steps toward stability.
• Building stability together
With the family reunited and wraparound support in place, they stabilized routines, the father maintained employment, and together they worked toward their long-term goals.
• A new chapter
Today, this family of five is permanently housed and has secured their own transportation, creating a stronger, more stable, and more connected future together.
Back in 2020, Devon Howard, now known throughout CCF as “Black Dragon”, first walked through the doors seeking support, like so many others working to regain stability and shelter. He had been a truck driver for his job but fell on unfortunate circumstances when he lost his truck.
It didn’t take long for something to shift. What began as receiving help gradually became giving it. Devon started at CCF by volunteering, finding purpose in the daily rhythm of service, building trust, and forming meaningful connections with those around him. Day by day, he became someone others could rely on, not just present, but dependable; not just helpful, but committed.
Over time, the place that once supported him became a place he helped sustain. Devon stepped into a full-time role on staff with CCF, a powerful reflection of his growth and dedication. Along the way, he also achieved another significant milestone: securing stable housing on his own, without subsidies.
Today, Black Dragon is known for his strong work ethic, his reliability, and the way he shows up for others, often going above and beyond without being asked.
“CCF has not just helped provide a job for me, they have helped restore joy in my life and given me a community of people to smile and laugh with,” he shares.
His story is not just about where he started. It’s a testament to what’s possible when someone keeps showing up and chooses to rise beyond their circumstances.
John Rice has been part of the CCF community for about six years. A longtime guest, he is known by staff and volunteers alike for his humility, gentleness, and kindness. Over time, John built meaningful relationships within our community, often attending weekly Bible studies where connections with others, especially members of the East Nashville community, became an important part of his journey.
Before finding stability, John faced significant challenges. After many years working at Cracker Barrel, he experienced the loss of his mother, followed by a divorce, events that deeply impacted his life, including the ability to maintain and keep a home. In the midst of those hardships, John found something steady at CCF: friendship, support, and a place where he belonged.
“CCF gave me more than food,” John shared. “It gave me people who cared about me.”
Through the encouragement of relationships formed at CCF and support from the broader community, John began moving toward stability. Earlier this year, he entered CCF’s emergency housing program, where he continued taking steps forward. During that time, he received his Section 8 voucher and was recently able to move into his very own apartment.
Today, John is not only celebrating a new home but a renewed sense of purpose. He takes pride in giving back, helping others, and being a source of encouragement within the same community that supported him. His perspective has shifted—what once felt uncertain is now filled with hope, connection, and belonging.
WATCH A VIDEO FROM JOHN.
Give today. Change a life.
Because when we lift up our neighbors in need, we strengthen our entire community.
