Education & Youth

For Ami McConnell, reading has always been more than a pastime—it’s a lifelong passion that shaped her career and inspired her volunteer journey. With an extensive background in publishing, Ami could have easily filled her time with professional responsibilities. Yet from the very beginning, she sought ways to use her talents for good. Her first volunteer project was with a literacy agency shortly after the birth of her first child. She helped raise funds by...

Krazy Kyle! Many know him as a pro MMA fighter, yet few know his softer side. This young man has already lived a full life – born and raised in Tennessee, introduced to God by his mom, experienced the loss of a baby brother, became a professional martial arts athlete, married and became a father to six, and works as a chef and jiu jitsu teacher. Kyle Lee didn’t set out to volunteer. Instead, one...

In the latest episode of the Doing Good podcast, host Megan McInnis sits down with Steve Bauer, a retired Braille instructor and dedicated volunteer at the Braille Institute. With a background in radio and a 15-year career as a staff member teaching Braille and assistive technology, Steve has dedicated his life to literacy and accessibility for the visually impaired. Now retired, he continues to serve his community by volunteering at the Braille Institute library, training...

In the latest episode of the Doing Good Podcast, host Megan McInnis sits down with Ryan Tagg, a dedicated volunteer at Comfort Zone Camp—a nonprofit 501(c)(3) bereavement camp that provides support for children who have lost loved ones. Ryan’s journey with Comfort Zone Camp began as a Big Buddy, a role where he served as both a chaperone and playmate for grieving children. Over time, his involvement grew, and he took on additional responsibilities, including...

Erin Harris embodies the initiative and energy Doing Good enjoys seeing in volunteers. Eight months ago, she founded Un/Do Mindset, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health education and trauma recovery. A former teacher, Erin’s passion for this project is both inspiring and deeply personal. Her teaching career came to a heartbreaking end due to a school shooting, a traumatic event that took a toll on her mental health. After prioritizing her own recovery, she...

As a mother of four, Amanda Root found herself pulled to serve children. Having adopted kids herself, she knows the important role that people like her play in assisting children who are either in state custody or who would be without redirection. As the founder and Executive Director of a private nonprofit called Hope’s Bridge of Middle Tennessee, Amanda provides an alternative to the foster care system by connecting families to children in need of...

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...

Written by: Ryan Wilson Jimmy Pitts is an example of the age-old saying – life is what you make of it. Jimmy is an advocate for Smyrna youth day in and day out. Between coaching basketball and serving on the corporate board of the Boys and Girls Club of Rutherford County, Jimmy constantly looks to improve the lives of those around him. The work of the Boys and Girls Club shows a different face of...

After losing her job in the corporate world, Karin Freeland said that she found a higher purpose by serving her community. Karin spent 15 years at a corporate job “chasing the paychecks, the titles, trying to get promoted,” as she described it. After being dismissed and moving to Greenville, South Carolina with her family, she wanted to make friends in a place where she knew no one and to connect with her new community. She...