Written by: Terri Seydel
It was an elementary holiday event that sparked an interest in her to help children in need. In 4th grade, Taylor Rowe and her classmates enlisted in the Salvation Army Angel program which pairs people with a child in need. She was excited to participate but surprised to learn this would likely be the only gift that these children received.
Up until this point, Taylor hadn’t realized ‘some children didn’t get to have Christmas’. She had grown up in the middle-class community of Hendersonville, Tennessee and hadn’t been aware there was so much need close to her home. When her fifth-grade class repeated the Angel program, the extent of the need started to weigh on her heart.
Her passion for helping others was truly ignited a few years later when a Nashville teacher’s Facebook post asked for holiday gift donations for children attending her school. As it turns out, her school was zoned for the Nashville homeless shelter children to attend, which resulted in a large student population of local homeless children needing additional support from the community.
Taylor volunteered, and it was a life changing experience for her. She observed the children’s reactions to their gifts and knew immediately she had to do more to help. In this revelation, the idea was born for Live Love Nashville, a nonprofit organization to support children in poverty, grief or tragedy.
‘They were so excited, even for the small items. Some of them had never even owned their own toothbrush! It was heartbreaking to see the extent of their needs.’
Taylor now works full time as a Surgical Administrator for an area Oral and Maxillofacial office and has an eleven-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son. As a working mother of two children, Taylor knew she couldn’t start a nonprofit organization on her own. So, she involved her community who responded with overwhelmingly positive support. Since then, Taylor and her team of volunteers have helped thousands of children by providing basic necessities, gifts, food, grief and financial support.
Through this experience, Taylor learned you don’t have to be wealthy or have a lot of free time to help others. She encourages others to volunteer and is quick to point out small acts go a long way, with every penny and every action helping others.
‘Just go for it, and don’t overthink it. Dive in deep and figure out what your passion is. Follow your heart. And, the rest will follow.’
When reflecting on how volunteer work has impacted her own life, Taylor shares that once she made the commitment for volunteer work, life just ‘fell into place for her.’ It built her self-confidence, hope, and desire to do more. Her dream is to eventually volunteer full time for Live Love Nashville and hopes others will find their own passion and volunteer their own time, talent and resources toward making a difference in their own way. In these aspirations, she’s not just a champion for children in need but an inspiration for others considering volunteer work to ‘just go for it!’
