Culture & History
Ana Sura: An Immigrant Serving Other Immigrants in Her Community
Immigrating to another country is an intimidating task that Ana Sura once completed. Now, with the nonprofit Better Options Tennessee, Ana guides new immigrants toward a future in her home state. Ana began her volunteer journey in 2007 when she moved to Franklin, Tennessee and opened a few churches alongside her pastor husband. There, she volunteered, teaching Sunday school. Soon after, she got involved in mentoring with the Christian Women’s Job Corp., a faith-based organization...
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Keisha Felton: Serving and Empowering Kids from Low-Income Families
Keisha Felton has only begun her journey to improve the lives of youths. She is a volunteer extraordinaire who founded the nonprofit, Project E3, with a mission of helping kids from low-income families attend summer camps in Nashville. She successfully served 26 kids from kindergarten through sixth grade in her first summer running Project E3. There are many different organizations that serve children from low-income families, so why specifically summer camps? Keisha notes, “There’s a...
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“African American history is American history,” says Natalie Bell
“African American history is American history,” says Natalie Bell, a volunteer forging her own path to preserve and teach history. Natalie has always had a passion for discovering and sharing stories. Her over 25-year career has included roles as a contributing writer for NPR and as an award-winning news reporter. Over time, telling the stories of our present led her to a passion for history, to tell the stories of our not-so-distant past. She now...
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Lifelong Servant Leader Serves on the Path She Once Walked
By: Angela Barbosa Imagine being at an appointment with your doctor and learning you have cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 1.8 million people in the United States face that moment each year. Sadly, many of them face the uncertain and frightening next steps alone. People with initial cancer diagnoses typically face a fast-paced barrage of diagnostic tests, invasive procedures and complicated treatment plans, often with little to no warning or time...
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Featured Volunteer: Jason
Listen to Jason, a husband, father of two, and a young professional, as he talks about the heart of a person. What happens to children after their court date? How do they move forward in a meaningful way? These are just two of many ways the Juvenile Justice Center impacts children & their families throughout Davidson County. ...
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Giving the Gift of Time
Life experiences are often the best teachers and influencers of how we form our values and priorities. This has become powerfully evident in the mindful way that Fatema Chaklasi and her family volunteer within their own community of middle Tennessee. Inspired by their own modest origins in Mumbai and their move to the United States to continue their education, Fatema and her husband, Murtuza, are keenly aware that many people have unmet needs, and they...
Read MoreFeatured Volunteer: Robin Cole
Our featured volunteer Robin shares her story of why she volunteers with Read to Succeed!...
Read MoreVolunteering to Change the Course of a Life
Written by: Terri Seydel Would you like to change any of the decisions you made as a teenager? We’d probably all like to turn the clock back on a few of our choices. But for some young people, choices can mean the difference between life and death. Carroll Hill (left in photo) grew up in South Central Los Angeles during a time when gangs were dominating many areas of the city. Violence and fear were...
Read MoreBake Sale Volunteer
Jena grew up with a mother who lived by the Golden Rule. With her mom as a role model and the love of her family, Jena’s lifelong passion became caring for others. “I just want to know I’m being effective and helping out,” she says. This young professional lives out her passion through volunteering, and it gives her a perfect opportunity to share her other passion – baking. This fall, Jena used her inspiration to...
Read MoreA Celebration of the Community
As the middle of the year approaches, Doing Good takes a moment to reflect on this year’s outstanding service-oriented volunteers in the Nashville area. Local Nashville volunteers continue to selflessly give back to their community while volunteering in unique ways that express their passions and philanthropic interests. Sheila Habacker has been serving the Nashville community with her expertise in yoga for years. In addition, yoga has had a major impact on Habacker’s recovery process from...
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