Nashville Community Connections, formerly known as UniCycle, distributed more than 42,000 essential clothing items to Metro Nashville Public School students this academic year, ensuring students have what they need to feel confident in the classroom.
The organization announced it has restructured as Nashville Community Connections, with UniCycle becoming one of eight signature programs under the new nonprofit umbrella.
"What started with our collection of 'outgrown, not worn out' khakis and polos has evolved into eight impactful programs, all shaped by real community needs," said Jami Oakley, Board President and Co-Founder of Nashville Community Connections.
The expanded organization focuses on supporting students experiencing unstable housing, with programs designed to make it easy for individuals, businesses and community groups to get involved.
"The needs of our students are ever changing and evolving. I've done the same thing for 28 years and our numbers continue to climb year after year," said Catherine Knowles, who helps lead the organization.
The nonprofit now helps connect families to food pantry resources, school supplies, sports equipment, and clothing. This expanded approach aims to address the various challenges students face in preparing for school.
"At the end of July we'll give out everything from khaki jeans, blue jeans and everything that goes along with back to school," Knowles said.
As summer activities continue, Nashville Community Connections is already preparing for the upcoming school year, working to ensure students have what they need to succeed in the classroom.
This year marked significant growth for the organization through strategic partnerships and new funding sources. The nonprofit received first-time grants from the Vanderbilt Community Impact Fund and secured additional funding from the Brentwood Kappas, the Boulevard Bolt, and through a new United Way partnership.
"Through the HERO Family Fund, we provided transportation assistance from gas cards to Uber rides for school meetings to a new car battery, keeping families moving forward," said Knowles.
The organization has also established creative collaborations with local businesses. Play It Again Sports in Bellevue now helps convert gently-used sports equipment into new gear for students, while locally-owned Fleet Feet stores are supporting the nonprofit's efforts to provide quality sneakers to students in need.
Nashville Community Connections is now preparing for the upcoming school year and seeking community support through donations, volunteer efforts, and increased awareness of their programs.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
I'm interested in hearing from families who have benefited from these services or community members looking to get involved. Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com. Your experiences could help highlight the important work being done to support Nashville students as they prepare for the upcoming school year.
