Park Center

We are excited to announce our new additions to Park Center's 2024 Celebration of Courage event that will take place on September 18th, 2024. Please visit the link below for event details:

https://hubs.li/Q02K_lKn0

Our Business Development Manager, Amanda M, was excited to attend her first monthly women's networking lunch, connecting with a fantastic group of people dedicated to mental health and addiction support.

We're grateful for the impactful work these professionals are doing to uplift our community. Together, we're making a difference!

We were honored to attend the National Women Touched by Addiction Day event yesterday! It was incredible celebrating the strength and resilience of women in recovery, their families, and their supporters. The speakers inspired us with powerful words of hope and reminded us to let go of shame so that we can support each other and seek help. Together, we can break down barriers and create a path to lasting recovery. We were honored to make a basket that was gifted to one of the 💜women touched by addiction💜 at the event!

Thank you to the event sponsors for a wonderful time! Mending Hearts Inc., The Next Door Recovery, Hustle Recovery, Mirror Lake Recovery Center, Freeman Recovery Center, LLC, Aliya Health Group, Bradford Health Services, A Design for Living Women.

Last week some members of Park Center’s leadership team were excited to celebrate the grand opening of Metro-Nashville’s new Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for people experiencing homelessness-Strobel House. We are grateful for another PSH program joining Park Centers work in the Nashville community. Creating supportive housing options for people is so incredibly important.

☀️YOU'RE INVITED☀️

Please join us for Park Center's 2024 Celebration of Courage Breakfast and Ceremony on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, from 7:30am to 9am at The Virgin Hotels Nashville. This event is a chance for our community to come together and hear members and their families share their stories of courage and resilience, and how Park Center has been a source of support. We're thrilled to announce exciting additions to this year's event, so keep an eye out for further details.

For more information about the event, and how to reserve your seat, please visit https://hubs.li/Q02G3tl60

The 2024 National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference in DC welcomed Park Centers Director of Homeless Outreach Services, Kenna Hasler, to present on how we incorporate Peers in our work, today. Kenna spoke about best practices and the innovative work of Park Centers peers and their impact on members in Nashville. We are so grateful for her work, leadership, and representation at this National Conference.

Vanderbilt University has a Philanthropy program in their Peabody Campus. This Program includes a course that helps students learn the benefit of giving back to their communities. Each semester the students are given a certain amount of money to allocate to non-profits in the Nashville community. They research and interview the organizations that align with their values. Then they choose the organizations they want to fund and how much they want to allocate to each.

Park Center was chosen this past semester, and we are so incredibly grateful. Thank you to Vanderbilt University, the students that chose Park Center, the Philanthropy Lab, and all the professors and educators that teach and lead this next generation to care about their community in this way.

We are very excited to announce that Park Center's Director of Supported Employment has been selected to be part of the Tennessee Leadership NEXT Fall 2024 Class. Leadership Tennessee NEXT is the state’s only statewide leadership program focusing on Tennessee’s existing and emerging leaders and spanning geographic and industry boundaries.

“The individuals selected for the year’s class are exceptionally intelligent and talented, chosen for their many strengths and unique contributions,” said Alfred Degrafinreid II, president and CEO, Leadership Tennessee.

Congratulations to the IX Class!

First Horizon Foundation is celebrating their 160th anniversary by creating their Grants For Good campaign and awarding 160 non-profits across Tennessee $10K grants. Park Center was one of 12 selected from Davidson County. We are so incredibly appreciative to First Horizon and Bennett Lieberman, our First Horizon referral staff, for this opportunity.

Last week we welcomed Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital volunteers for a relaxing foot clinic for members. We are grateful for community and members enjoy this level of self care!

If you’re interested in holding a foot clinic for members at Park Center, please reach out, as member truly cherish this time.

First day of the Nashville Pride Festival in the books! What an amazing day and turnout. It was such an honor to have some of our Emerging Adults members out with us sharing their perspectives and experiences. Can’t wait to be back tomorrow to build more community.

🏳️‍🌈 Exciting news! Park Center will be part of this year's Nashville Pride Festival! Come visit our table to learn more about our programs and join the celebration of love, diversity, and inclusion. Get your pronoun stickers, choose your pride flag, and grab a refreshing popsicle! See you there!

We are honored to welcome Amanda to the Park Center family as the new Business Development Senior Manager. She’s hit the ground running and already making an incredible impact in our community. As a masters level social worker and with a history of direct care and business development, she’s going to continue to make an invaluable difference. Welcome, Amanda.

If you’re interested in learning more about our programs or submitting a referral, please reach out, Amanda will be able to support you!

🌟 Join us in making an impact! 🌟

Are you passionate about supporting your community and making a difference? Park Center's Fundraising Committee needs YOU!

We're on a mission to add more dedicated people to help us reach our goals.

Whether you're a seasoned fundraiser or new to the world of philanthropy, your unique skills and ideas are invaluable. Join us in planning exciting events, reaching out to potential donors, and helping make our community a better place for everyone.

Together, we can create lasting positive change. If you are interested in joining our community in this way, please complete the below interest form and someone will be in touch with you:

https://hubs.li/Q02yqprh0

Today was Park Centers first open house for our two redeveloped housing properties in East Nashville. Our Director of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), DeShaun, and some of the team, welcomed several service providers admiring the place for the people they’re working alongside with housing choice vouchers.

For more information about these properties, please reach out to Ellen: [email protected]

Today marks a milestone for Linda! 🌟 She is surrounded by her peers, friends, and loving family as she celebrates her incredible strength as she graduates from Park Center's IOP. Her family has been her rock throughout it all, and her determination to heal has been unwavering. Now, Linda's ready to pay it forward. She has her sights set on using her story and experience to help others and plans to return to school to become a counselor. What a powerful graduation day today, as we are reminded of the strength found in the community and the bonds built through shared experiences.

🌟 This graduation also bookends Katelynd's story with Park Center where she has played a vital role in supporting our members over the last 6 years. As the IOP Manager, she has been an invaluable part of numerous lives, and her absence will be deeply felt. We're excited about what her next chapter holds. Katelynd, your dedication to the members, like Linda, has been invaluable. You'll forever remain in our hearts!

We are excited to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month by being part of the Women of Worth’s Mental Health Symposium: Refine Your Mind, this Saturday. Come out and experience a wonderful event of networking to bring awareness around mental health and bring more resources for people that need them.

Last week at the TDMHSAS Housing and Homeless Services Conference, in partnership with TAMHO, over 500 individuals gathered to explore the theme "Back to the Basics... Remembering your Why!" We were honored to hear from Lesley Farmer, Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel at the Tennessee Department of Human Resources, who emphasized staying true to our core motivations.

State staff Christy Spangler and Mark Liverman engaged in a valuable conversation about SOAR and IPS programs, highlighting the possibility of accessing both simultaneously, challenging misconceptions about working while applying for disability benefits.

We were also privileged to hear from State Certified Peer Recovery Specialists, whose dedication to using their own experiences to support others is truly inspiring.

Thank you, and , for fostering and raising and . Kudos to Ashley Siebert for her dedication to this conference each year! We also love the snacks!🌟

With great excitement, we invite you to the upcoming celebration of Park Center's 40th anniversary.

For four decades, Park Center has been dedicated to fostering a stable and nurturing environment for members in Nashville. We offer radical compassion, serve as agents of hope, and value perspective and experience for individuals seeking mental health, substance use, and homelessness support.

Reflecting on this significant milestone, we remember the members and their families who have chosen to walk alongside us and are incredibly grateful.

To mark this significant milestone, we invite you, along with your friends and family, to stop by and join us for a memorable celebration filled with delicious treats and great company.

Highlights of the event include:
*Savory Berlin-style Döner Kebab Cuisine from the New Berlin Eats food truck- check out their menu New Berlin: Café, Crêpe, und Kebab
*Refreshing beverages including kombucha, iced coffee, Maypop sparkling water, and more from Fait La Force
*Delectable sweets
*Interactive activities, with something everyone can enjoy

Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to Park Center's mission. Together, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

Park Center is beyond proud of Danielle, one of Park Center's Supported Employment members. She has been working at the Nashville Zoo and states, “I have worked at the Nashville Zoo as a guest services associate for about 6 months. As a guest services associate, I run the front gate – taking tickets & letting people into the zoo. I occasionally rent out strollers, motorized scooters, and wheelchairs. I also operate attractions like the carousel, 4D theatre, and the zip line. At times, I get to work with the animals, which is my favorite part of the job—making sure that people are following the rules and not touching the animals, keeping them safe. Working with the animals is like therapy to me. I have memorized the names of all the animals that I care for. I have become more educated about the animals at the zoo, and I can share fun facts with visitors. I think I found a job that suits me; a job that I enjoy doing even on rough days. There is more that I like about the job than I dislike. My goal is to move up to animal care eventually but for now, I’m going to stick to what I am doing until I decide if I want to go back to school. Having an employment specialist has been great. It’s like having a mentor guide you in the right direction. I feel comfortable sharing my issues and discussing how work is going without feeling judged. It feels like a safe space.”

As we approach our ribbon-cutting ceremony next week, we're thrilled to share a significant milestone: our Fairwin Ave. property has faithfully served Nashville for an incredible 30 years! Being one of our first housing locations, it holds a special place in our hearts. Not only has it been home to the same three people for two decades, but it's also been a pioneer in introducing permanent supportive housing for individuals with mental illness to our community. Let's celebrate three decades of compassion, progress, support, and making a difference, one life at a time.

Here's to the original home's legacy and its redevelopment, both symbols of resilience and community support.

We look forward to seeing you at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on April 22, 2024, from 11 am-12 pm.

Please park at the City Gear lot located at 2625 Gallatin Pike. A shuttle will be provided to bring you to our property on Fairwin Ave., about 2 miles away.
Please arrive by 10:30 am if possible to allow time to catch the shuttle.

🌟 Today at Park Center’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), we were greeted with joy as Cory, a proud program graduate, awaited us on the front porch. His eagerness to lend a helping hand mirrors his enduring commitment to service. Cory shared his journey in the group, celebrating 7 months of recovery and exploring becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. His words resonated with our group: " I am using fear in its correct form now. I let it guide me to where I need to be. I might not have much money in my pocket but my soul is spiritually healthy." We applaud Cory's resilience and eagerly anticipate the impact of his story on others' lives.

📸: Dallas, Co_Occurring Program Team Lead, Cory, IOP graduate, and Katelynd, Co_Occurring Program Supervisor.

Yesterday, Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Homeless Health Services gathered for their "Future Physicians as Advocates: Collective Impact from Community Voices” symposium. Park Center’s Director of Homeless Outreach Services, Kenna, was invited to present to a room full of medical students about the “Landscape of Homelessness” in Nashville.

Earlier last week, the Development Director, Ashley, presented to Vanderbilt medical students about availability, acceptability, and accessibility in healthcare and how Park Center can support the people who come through their hospital.

Park Center is honored to be asked to join conversations with the rising Doctors of our community around critical needs like health equity, mental health, substance use, and homelessness.