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
For more than five years, Ms. Beverly, kind, soft-spoken, and faithful, has been a steady presence in our community. She doesn’t draw attention to herself, but her impact is unmistakable.
CCF has played an important role in Ms. Beverly’s life. When she found a place where her needs were met, where she was seen, cared for, and supported, something shifted. Gratitude took root. And that gratitude now shows up in the way she serves others.
You can find Ms. Beverly serving three or four days a week wherever help is needed most. She might ask ‘Big Mama’ on a Monday if she can run the laundry room, so someone else can serve in the kitchen. Later, you may hear her voice over the PA calling neighbors for showers. She has practically made the hygiene room her own—carefully tracking clothing logs and hygiene items, making sure every neighbor is accounted for with diligence and care.
She does all of this without seeking recognition. She rarely asks for anything herself. And when she does receive something, she often gives it away just as quickly.
When asked why she serves so faithfully, Ms. Beverly simply says, “I do it because my needs have been met here, so I want to give back.”
Without a spotlight or long explanation, Ms. Beverly expresses gratitude through action.
In God’s Kingdom, neighbors are not strangers. We are called to see one another, to know one another, and to love one another well. Ms. Beverly lives that calling each time she walks through the doors and chooses to serve.
Ms. Corneshia has been coming to Ken & Carol’s for about nine months after hearing about us through the Women’s Rescue Mission. Since then, she has become a familiar and cherished presence at CCF’s Ken & Carol’s location –serving with joy!
Almost daily, you can spot her moving around with a huge smile. She has a willing spirit and a servant’s heart—you can catch her sweeping, wiping down tables, and sometimes sorting clothing in the back, which is such an important job.
She doesn’t serve because someone asks her to—she serves because she wants to. Serving reminds her that she still has something valuable to offer and that she belongs here. CCF has become her community.
When we asked her what she loves about CCF, she shared that she loves being around the staff and serving the people who come through our doors. Being here gives her peace of mind, and because she feels cared for, she wants to give back even more.
Ms. Corneshia is originally from Mississippi, and when she isn’t serving, you can often find her braiding hair—still using her hands to care for others.
CCF is continuing to accept donations to serve our guests in this cold winter weather, both financially and new or lightly used items: coats, hats, blankets, and more. You can help make a tangible difference for our neighbors with dignity and warmth.
Herbert, affectionately known as “Unc”, volunteers with Community Care Fellowship because giving back is no longer just something he believes in; it’s something he is passionate about.
Three years ago, Unc started coming to Community Care Fellowship for services such as: showers, laundry, meals, and a place to rest. For more than 35 years, Unc lived the life many of CCF’s guests are living now. He knows the streets. He knows the struggle, including drug addiction. He knows what it’s like to feel unseen. Today, having found stability and purpose, Unc chooses to show up for others, so they can see that a different path is possible.
“I was out there for a long time,” Unc shared. “So, when I look at these men, I don’t see a statistic. I see myself. I know what they’re carrying.”
Today, Unc is not only a guest but a faithful volunteer. Unc serves faithfully in the hygiene room, folding towels, cutting soap, and ensuring that each person who walks through the door receives more than just the basic necessities. He understands that many guests come to CCF needing more than services; they need conversation, compassion, a friend, and someone who truly understands what they’re going through.
As he talked about why he volunteers, Unc’s eyes filled with tears. “Sometimes,” he said, “all someone needs is to know they’re not alone, and that somebody cares enough to listen.”
Through understanding and compassion, grown out of his own experience, Unc offers something powerful: hope. His presence reminds guests and neighbors that healing happens not just through programs, but through people willing to walk alongside one another.
This is what neighbors helping neighbors looks like.
Give today. Change a life.
Because when we lift up our neighbors in need, we strengthen our entire community.
