Neighborhood Nonprofit Spotlight: Martha O'Bryan Center

NASHVILLE, TN - Patch talks to the Martha O'Bryan Center about its mission to serve impoverished and marginalized individuals in the Nashville area.

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Patch: Tell Patch a little bit about your organization!

Martha O'Bryan Center: Martha O'Bryan Center is an anti-poverty non-profit organization with longstanding history and deep community roots, grounded in tradition and strengthened by innovation. Founded by 1894 when Miss O'Bryan organized the Gleaners Society at First Presbyterian Church to support impoverished North Nashville residents, Martha O'Bryan Center has operated from the heart of Cayce Place - Nashville's most distressed community - since 1948. This is where we continue in service, partnering with Cayce Place families to open doors of hope and possibility, create a culture of attainment, and positively shape future generations.

Patch: How does your organization help to strengthen the local community?

Martha O'Bryan Center: Martha O’Bryan Center empowers families in Nashville to overcome poverty through work, education, employment and fellowship. The Center serves over 10,000 individuals per year using a “cradle-to-career” continuum. The five core investments along that continuum are: early learning, K-8 education, high school education, college and career programs, and family support services. Since 1894, Martha O’Bryan Center has been serving the Nashville community, giving hope and compassion to the city’s most impoverished communities.

Patch: What is the biggest struggle your organization faces?

Martha O'Bryan Center: Nashville is a booming city. It is growing and thriving, but there are still individuals living in deep poverty in the city. Martha O’Bryan Center’s challenge is to show Nashville that poverty does exist, but that we can overcome it together.

Patch: What do you hope for the future of your nonprofit?

Martha O'Bryan Center: Martha O’Bryan Center hopes to continue serving Nashville by expanding our services, reaching more individuals in need, and involving more Nashvillians in eliminating poverty. We can only do that with the partnership of individuals, churches, businesses, and other non-profits!

Interested in learning more about the free resources Patch can offer Nashville nonprofits? Check out 5 Ways Patch Can Help Nashville Nonprofits.

Photo via Martha O'Bryan Center