Nurture the Next marks 40 years of building community support for Tennessee’s vulnerable families
NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 11, 2024 – Today, Nurture the Next, a non-profit committed to building a better Tennessee by supporting parents in raising the next generation, announced its 40th anniversary and Raise the Next campaign created to raise awareness about the importance of providing parents with the support and assistance needed to build healthier communities.
“At Nurture the Next we see the obstacles Tennessee’s families face. From unstable housing to unreliable income, the journey of parenthood is challenging without the proper resources or community support,” said Nurture the Next President and Chief Executive Officer Kristen Davis. “For these families, Nurture the Next serves as a lifeline. For the next 40 years and beyond, we remain committed to meeting parents where they are to equip them with the resources and skills they need for their families to flourish.”
Nurture the Next fulfills its mission by offering home visiting services and providing advocacy and education across the state to share ways Tennesseans can support strong families and keep children safe. Since incorporating evidence-based home visiting in 2008, Nurture the Next has conducted thousands of home visits – becoming Tennessee’s largest provider of in-home support. Through weekly home visits, Nurture the Next teaches parents how to foster strong bonding and attachment, create nurturing homes for their children, and build a foundation for healthy physical, cognitive, and emotional development.
Jillian, a Nurture the Next program participant, said, “I feel like every single visit I have had; I end up feeling so empowered and feel very confident in my parenting. I feel like Nurture the Next is pretty much another family to me.”
In the past four decades, Nurture the Next has evolved from Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee to reflect its larger mission and positively frame the benefits of its services and supports. It has grown from a non-profit with 1 employee in 1984 to a statewide non-profit with 78 employees, hundreds of volunteers and supporters, and dozens of valuable community partners.
“Our 40th anniversary is a milestone that represents our history and accomplishments but most importantly our ongoing commitment to serving our mission and the next generation of Tennesseans,” said Nurture the Next Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Vaida. “As we spend this year celebrating four decades of Nurture the Next through our Raise the Next Campaign, our team remains fueled by our legacy of impact and our vision for a brighter future.”
Nurture the Next Board Chair Kinika Young said, “I am encouraged when I see families get the support they need to overcome hardships and thrive through Nurture the Next’s work. Home visiting and other parental support efforts reduce child poverty and increase school readiness, two key priorities in Tennessee. As Tennesseans, we all have a duty to unlock brighter futures for everyone in our state by investing in children and families.”
Nurture the Next has developed a logo to commemorate the anniversary. The non-profit has renamed its annual fund, Invest in the Next, which invites Tennesseans to join in raising the next generation. Additionally, Nurture the Next announced it will be launching its inaugural Giving Society, an exclusive group of donors who share Nurture the Next’s vision to “See all children in Tennessee thriving in safe, stable, nurturing families and communities.”
More information about Nurture the Next can be found at www.nurturethenext.org.
ABOUT NURTURE THE NEXT
Nurture the Next works to see all children in Tennessee thriving in safe, stable, and nurturing families and communities. Nurture the Next is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that offers services and education in all 95 counties in Tennessee. More information about Nurture the Next can be found online at www.nurturethenext.org.
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