SERVE OUR CITY
As a church family, we believe it is essential that each person in our community of faith join us in a deep commitment to pursue a lifestyle of service towards others. This is one of the intentional ways we aim to love people and become more like Jesus — by following his example of service and bringing good news to the city we live in!
Below are a few organizations where our church family is invited to plug in and serve. Click on the arrow beside the organization name to learn more. If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to our Director of Local and Global Outreach, Lucas Boto, lucasboto@ethoschurch.org.
If you’re interested in taking a next step toward serving with us, join our next Outreach Orientation by registering below. This short orientation is the gateway into an engaged community of people who want to learn, serve, and grow together in the ways of Jesus.
This Advent season there are many ways to serve in our city. You can serve with any of the organizations listed below — many have holiday opportunities, as well as their normal initiatives.
Y.E.S. Christmas Store
We will also be serving Youth Encouragement Services this holiday season through their annual Christmas Store. You can participate in two ways:
Bring Unwrapped Gifts to Donate
Click the button below to download the Y.E.S. Gift List; purchase items from the list and bring them to church on Sunday, December 1 or 8. We’ll take care of delivering all the gifts to Y.E.S.Volunteer at The Christmas Store
Y.E.S. needs volunteers to sort, set up, and assist as Personal Shoppers at The Christmas Store. You can sign up for a volunteer shift on their website.
Opportunities to Serve
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Both Hands helps Christian adoptive families fund their adoptions by coordinating a service project to fix up a widow’s home. The team at Both Hands and their volunteer teams aim to fulfill James 1:27 by serving orphans, widows, and Christian adoptive families. To learn more about the process or if you’re curious about potentially leading a project, click here.
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The Branch serves the southeastern corridor of the Nashville community by providing sustenance through their food bank and education through their English learning program. As a result of being in this section of our city, a majority of those they serve are refugees, have had to start their lives over from scratch, and need support transitioning into an entirely new culture. Click here to learn more. To volunteer, sign up here.
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The Cookery is a restaurant and ministry that employs, houses, trains, and disciples those who have experienced homelessness or been incarcerated. To learn more about The Cookery or if you’re interested in volunteering, check out their website here.
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Crowded Table equips local churches to provide practical support to Davidson County foster families and their caseworkers, in order to increase and sustain the network of people who care for foster children in Middle Tennessee. This is a great opportunity for a group of people to come around a foster family in love and support. Spreading the weight of responsibility, even through just aiding in some simple tasks, makes for a much lighter journey than trying to do it alone. To learn more or inquire about volunteering, click here.
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"Martha O’Bryan Center is Nashville‘s oldest nonprofit, working throughout Nashville for almost 130 years to help families living in poverty. Through our Family Success Network, we help families to leave poverty in one-generation. Our main areas of focus include education, employment, and family supports. While located in East Nashville, we serve families from every zip code in Davidson County.
Throughout the year, we host various events for our community. We are always looking for volunteers to help us for those events, as well as some recurring opportunities. In the Spring, we host a community baby shower and a Mother’s Day celebration. As Fall approaches, we host a Back-2-School event, a Halloween Trunk-or-Treat, and a Thanksgiving celebration. In Winter, we celebrate the holidays with a huge event and toy giveaway. We also highlight our work throughout January for Poverty Awareness Month. Consistently, our K-8 programs are always looking for active and engaged volunteer tutors on weekday afternoons."
If you’d like to learn more about Martha O’Bryan Center, check out their website here. If you’re interested in volunteering, click here to fill out their application.
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Men of Valor is committed to winning men in prison to Jesus Christ and discipling them. Their missional purpose is to equip inmates to re-enter society as men of integrity – becoming givers to the community rather than takers. To learn more or find out about ways to volunteer, click here.
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Inspired by and in response to the words of Jesus, People Loving Nashville has shared love and dignity with our unhoused and most vulnerable neighbors by bringing relief, community, and connection to a consistent downtown gathering every Monday evening for over 15 years. In addition to Monday nights, PLN staff also serves neighbors in need via other outreaches across our city throughout every week. Click here to learn more. If you’re interested in volunteering on a Monday night, sign up here.
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Founded in 1985, Room In The Inn’s mission is to provide programs that emphasize human development and recovery through education, self-help, and work, centered in community and long term support for those who call the streets of Nashville home. To learn more about Room In The Inn and opportunities to be involved, click here. For questions or to volunteer at their downtown location, email volunteer@roomintheinn.org.
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Siloam Health’s exists to serve Nashville’s uninsured, underserved, and culturally marginalized. Their patients and clients come from over 80 homelands and speak more than 50 languages. As a temporary medical home for Nashville’s uninsured neighbors, Siloam has offered Christ-centered, high-quality, culturally sensitive, and low-cost health care for more than 30 years. To learn more or find ways to get involved, visit their website.
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UrbanPromise Nashville exists to help refugee youth heal, learn, and direct their own futures for good. Through our after-school programs and summer camps, we provide opportunities for elementary-age refugee students to improve academic competency, develop mentoring relationships, explore the arts, and nurture their own faith. Through our StreetLeader program, high school refugee students are employed to work as leaders and mentors at these programs. In addition to a job, these high schoolers receive extensive leadership development, job training, academic support, trauma-sensitive counseling, discipleship, and mentoring to support their future success in and outside of the program.
UrbanPromise Nashville’s ultimate goal is to develop refugee youth into leaders who are passionate about serving their communities to advance good and bring glory to God. Our great hope is that refugee youth transform Nashville from the inside out by sharing and showing the love of Jesus throughout the city.
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Currently, UPN is hiring Fall and Spring interns and is in need for volunteers.
Volunteer opportunities include:
Van Chaperones (2:45-3:15 pm / 5:30-6:00 pm Tuesday-Thursday)
Classroom Helpers (3:15-5:30 pm Tuesday-Thursday)
Donate Snacks + Waters
Provide Dinner for Weekly StreetLeader Trainings
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For more information about UP Nashville, head to urbanpromisenashville.org, or to learn more about specific volunteer needs and times, email shawna.upnashville@gmail.com.
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Wayne Reed Childcare Center provides hope for those in need through Christian childcare so that parents can return to the workforce or school knowing their children are in a safe, loving, educationally challenging environment. To learn more, visit their website. To volunteer, click here.
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YoungLife’s mission is Life to the full for adolescents by introducing them to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. YoungLife Capernaum gives teens and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities the chance to experience fun and adventure, to develop fulfilling friendships and to challenge their limits while building self-esteem through club, camp, and other exciting activities. Click here to learn more. To volunteer, email NashvilleYLCapernaum@gmail.com.
🎄 Learn more about Young Life Capernaum’s Christmas Spectacular.
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Youth Encouragement Services has been a staple in the Napier neighborhood for over 65 years and more recently has expanded into the Woodbine area. They serve kids and families in these areas through after school programs, tutoring and mentoring, summer camps, athletic leagues, and more. Their goal is to provide a safe alternative to the streets for kids and teens during their free time through a Christ-centered community.
If you are interested in getting more involved with any of YES’ programming throughout the year, head to their website to view their volunteer positions and needs.
🎄 See above for information on The Christmas Store.