On Wednesday, October 10, 2012, Metropolitan Social Services and Catholic Charities of Tennessee cosponsored an Interfaith Poverty Workshop. It was held at St. Edwards Catholic Church and included about 100 people who are inspired to help others.
Each faith–based service provider described needs in the community, how their organizations provide services to help people and the importance of the faith connection in helping those in need.
- Child Care – Mike Miller, St. Mary’s Villa–Catholic Charities of Tennessee
- Food – Linda Tozer, Program Coordinator–St. Andrews Society–Gleaning America’s Fields
- Health – Mark McCaw, Associate Director–Siloam Family Health Center
- Home & Community Based Services–Adults/Seniors–Pam Kelner, Director–Jewish Family Service
- Housing – Regina Surber, Director of Permanent Housing & Grants Administration–The Next Door
- Neighborhood Development – Marsha Edwards, President/CEO–Martha O’Bryan Center
- Workforce and Economic Opportunity – Randy Halstead, Executive Director–Lifeworks of Nashville
A panel discussion by Nashville’s leading faith–inspired collaborators discussed collaborations among faith partners – how their programs began, how collaborations were developed among organizations and suggestions for faith organizations who want to do more to help Davidson County residents.
- Father Charles Strobel, Founding Director–Room in the Inn
- Rev. Neely Williams, Administrator-Community Partners Network and Adjunct Professor-Lipscomb University-Communications and Journalism Department
- Bill Coke, Founding President–Rooftop Foundation
- Rev. Bill Barnes, Pastoral Team-Hobson United Methodist Church
Facilitators Judy Saks, Caroline Blackwell and John Michael Ford led group discussions about how faith organizations could help meet the needs of poor and disadvantaged people in the Nashville area, how new faith–inspired collaborations can be created to help people who are in need and possible next steps in creating faith–inspired collaborations.
