The Community Foundation

Nashville Area Chapter of the American Red Cross Designated Fund Established 2001

Every day, the Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Although a nongovernmental agency, the Red Cross continually steps in as a part of federal, state and local disaster plans. Among its many contributions to our community are teaching skills like CPR and First Aid, providing vision and hearing screenings, and the vital collection and distribution of blood and blood products.

The Andrew John Ballinger Memorial Warrior Fund Established 2015

Andrew “Drew” John Ballinger died peacefully in his parent’s arms at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in July of 2013. In Drew’s 7 ½ months of life, he touched more lives than most people do in their entire lifetime. The name Andrew means “warrior” and that he was. Drew was a fighter and he won many battles against some very difficult odds. This fund, named to celebrate Drew’s short life, is designed provide support to families in need that come to the Junior League Fetal Center at Vanderbilt both before and after their babies are born.

Susan Warner Batt Fund for Breast Cancer Established 2003

Susan Warner Batt died in 2002 at age 45 after a two-year battle with breast cancer. During Susan's battle, her husband, Charles Batt, and their children, Derek, Lizzy and Janie, were blessed with such overwhelming acts of thoughtfulness and kindness that they wanted, in their own way, to help others with this disease. So they established the Susan Warner Batt Fund for Breast Cancer to support and help breast cancer patients, awareness and research.

Breast Cancer Research Fund Established 2000

A survivor of breast cancer for over 25 years, the donor who created this Fund stipulated that the proceeds be used to support breast cancer research conducted at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Remembering when breast cancer was not discussed, she hopes there will be again a day when no one talks about the illness because a cure has been found.

Centerstone Agency Endowment Fund in Honor of Ella P. Hayes Established 2005

Tennessee's leading provider of behavioral health services has taken a major step to ensure the future of community behavioral health care throughout its service area by establishing this Fund. The Fund will support the research and infrastructure necessary to bring new treatments to clients and to provide universal access to those in the community who cannot afford behavioral health care.

Crittenton Fund Established 2001

For 127 years, the Florence Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers helped teen mothers and their babies and provided teen pregnancy prevention services. In 2001, the board of directors, aware that there were duplicative providers for their services, made the difficult decision to find "adoptive parents" for their programs and to close the agency's doors. They established the Crittenton Fund at The Community Foundation in order to make grants to programs providing services to pregnant, parenting and at-risk youth, and to ensure that the gifts given in support of the agency remained dedicated to the causes to which donors were committed.

Cumberland County Cardiac Pulmonary Rehabilitation Alumni, Inc. Endowment Fund Established 1999

Cumberland County Cardiac-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Alumni, Inc. provides assistance in covering the cost of cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation for those who do not have insurance or those who need help paying deductibles or co-payments. The Cumberland County Cardiac-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Alumni have generated money through fundraisers since 1997, but an Endowment Fund was established to ensure the future and meet the demands of a growing population.

Cumberland Heights Agency Endowment Fund Established 2004

Cumberland Heights is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those facing addictions by providing in-patient and out-patient rehabilitation. This Endowment Fund was made possible by a grateful Cumberland Heights donor who faced personal challenges and, with the agency's assistance, was able to overcome addiction.

Discovery Place Agency Endowment Established 2008

Alcoholism and drug addiction are challenges that confront this community today and are likely to for years to come. Discovery Place is a residential program in Burns, TN that offers the means and environment for men to refocus their lives on a path of recovery, spirituality and productivity through the methods outlined in the long-established Twelve Step tradition. In so doing, it draws on the talents of a staff who all have quality sobriety time and share their experience, strength and hope with the men in the program. This Fund exists so that Discovery Place will always be able to offer its treatment services to men taking positive steps for an improved quality of life.

The Jane and Richard Eskind and Family Endowment Fund for the benefit of Planned Parenthood of Middle & East Tennessee Established 2013

The Jane and Richard Eskind and Family Endowment Fund for the benefit of Alive Hospice Established 2014

The Footprint Fund Established 2011

The Fund is intended to support charitable projects and initiatives to promote healthy living and an active lifestyle and “to build a healthier Nashville one step at a time.” In 2011, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean embraced this motto through a series of walks and The Mayor’s Challenge initiative to walk or run a 5K with him. The Fund provides a long-term source of funding to support The Mayor’s Challenge and other community-wide programs, events, planning or groups that encourage more active living, increased exercise and enhanced healthy living options.

Dr. Henry Foster Endowment Fund to Benefit I Have a Future Established 1999

I Have a Future is a comprehensive teenage pregnancy prevention program that works with male and female youth, 10 to 18 years of age, who reside primarily in the inner-city community houses of Davidson County. The program motivates by preparing youth for college, vocational careers and the immediate job market. Integral to this mission is an increase in their awareness of social and health issues and family values that strengthen the self-esteem necessary to avoid teen pregnancy and other destructive behaviors.

Charlotte and George Fox Designated Fund Established 2004

With their lives touched by Parkinson's disease, Charlotte and George Fox worked in many ways to bolster efforts to find and fund a cure. This Endowment Fund will benefit the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the American Parkinson's Disease Association and its work to find a cure.

The Linda P. Hare Scholarship Fund Established 2011

The Linda P. Hare Scholarship Fund Established 2011

Lupus Foundation Agency Endowment Established 1998

The Lupus Foundation promotes research and provides information, education and support for patients with Lupus Erythematosus, an autoimmune disease that can cause chronic inflammation affecting various parts of the body. Since one in every 185 Americans is diagnosed with Lupus each year, this Fund was created to ensure compassionate support of Middle Tennesseans living with this disease.

Myra McWhorter Cancer Awareness Fund Established 2007

At the untimely death of Myra McWhorter, family and friends sought to spare others the agony they had experienced. They started this Fund from which grants will be used, first and foremost, to support programs providing education, awareness and screening focused on breast cancer, particularly for women who, due to a lack of resources, may not otherwise be able to access these services. And so, a fitting legacy for Myra McWhorter was born.

TKALS-Tennessee NARAL Fund for Women's Reproductive Freedom Established 1998

To its founders, the key word in the name of this Fund is "freedom" - the freedom of a woman to choose to have a child, the freedom of a woman to remain childless. This Fund will be used to benefit a wide range of causes surrounding the issue of reproductive freedom.

Nashville Area Childhood Immunization Fund Established 1994

The Nashville Childhood Immunization Fund supports organizations committed to promoting the value of timely childhood immunizations in keeping with the original tenets of the Nashville Immunization Coalition, through which it began.

Nashville Cares Agency Endowment Fund Established 1999

Nashville CARES has been meeting the challenges of AIDS in Middle Tennessee since 1985, educating youth and adults about how to prevent HIV infection, as well as providing services to support the continued independence and self-sufficiency of those infected. CARES services are provided free-of-charge, and this Fund helps ensure that programs will continue to be available to any Middle Tennessean in need, until a cure is found.

NashvilleHealth Fund Established 2015

The NashvilleHealth Fund aims to enhance dialogue, align resources, and build strategic partnerships by convening individuals, nonprofits, governmental agencies, for profits, and the religious community to facilitate the development and scaling of health promoting solutions. Such collaboration will build on the work already being done daily by people throughout this community. Our city is large, and our problems are complicated. No one organization working alone or even with a few others is capable of creating the change we need to reset the trajectory to achieve a culture of wellness.

The Ovarian Cancer Awareness Fund Established 2015

Planned Parenthood Agency Fund Established 2002

Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee proudly provides access to reproductive, sexual and complementary health care services; information in settings that preserve and protect the right to privacy; and educational programs that enhance understanding of human sexuality.

Prevent Blindness Tennessee Agency Endowment Established 2006

The mission of Prevent Blindness Tennessee is to keep the SEE in TennesSEE with Screenings, Eye exams and Education. The organization works to prevent blindness and preserve sight through a wide variety of hands-on services to the community, including vision screening for both children and adults; free eye exams and free/low-cost glasses for those in need; public and professional education; and information, referral and research.

The RaeLynn Diabetes Fund Established 2016

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12. The excellent care I received from Texas Children’s Hospital, and the experience of my family throughout my initial diagnosis, empowered me and my family to begin living safely with Type 1 diabetes. Now, at age 22, I safely manage my disease. The RaeLynn Diabetes Fund was created to offer support, empowerment, and a community, for all of those facing diabetes with me. Our mission is to raise funds to support those whose lives are impacted by Type 1, Type 2, and juvenile diabetes.

Reed Family Fund for Family Planning Established 2007

Before her death in early 2008, Cecy Reed created this Fund to endow support for nonprofits which provide family planning services. Her concern was with the plight of the children borne of unwanted pregnancies. Her goal was to provide birth control options and opportunities for Middle Tennesseans, thereby reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies.

Tennessee Breast Cancer Fund Established 2000

The Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition actively supports community efforts for breast cancer education, research and outreach. The Tennessee Breast Cancer Fund was established to provide funding to organizations supporting individuals and families living with breast cancer, to keep research and advocacy in the eyes and ears of those who can implement change, and to assist grassroots organizations in efforts to educate us all.

Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition Endowment Established 2000

Rare is the family left unaffected by breast cancer. As long as it continues to endanger our friends and family, the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition will be there actively supporting community efforts to provide education, research and outreach. This Fund allows TBCC to continue serving Tennesseans living with breast cancer until this disease is eradicated.

United Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. Agency Endowment Fund Established 2007

Dedicated to building a community guaranteeing that everyone, regardless of income or insurance, has quality health care that meets their needs, United Neighborhood Health Services serves anyone with TennCare, Medicare or other health insurance. It offers patients without insurance the opportunity to apply for reduced costs of visits, labs and medications. This Fund helps ensure United Neighborhood's ability to provide vital services to improve the health of underprivileged, vulnerable and minority infants, children, teens, adults, and seniors in our community.

Joni Werthan Fund to Erase the Stigma of Suicide Established 2004

Joni Werthan knows the trauma that suicide of a loved one brings. She has survived the shock and the pain, the guilt and the "what ifs." She has also come to understand firsthand the enormous stigma such a loss leaves in its wake. This Fund will benefit the organizations that help people contemplating suicide and the survivors of loved ones who chose this path.

Lorene White Organ Transplantation Fund Established 1997

Lorene Sharp White passed away in 1983 after years of ill health because a suitable organ donor could not be found in time. During the course of Lorene's illness, her family met others in need of life-saving organ transplants, and they saw firsthand the financial and emotional challenges that accompanied such illnesses. Lorene's husband, Raymond, established Transplants, Inc. following her death to provide nonprofit financial assistance for medical costs to those in need of organ transplants. In 1997, the Board of Transplants, Inc. decided to assure the continuity of its work by establishing this Fund through which the message and encouragement of organ donation and transplantation could spread.