We are thrilled to announce that 17 agencies in the state of Tennessee have joined the Safe Shelter Collaborative community. With Tennessee, the Safe Shelter Collaborative now spans 18 states across the U.S.
As with each expansion effort, a host of local collaborators drive each Hub to the starting gate. Initial interest in the Safe Shelter Collaborative grew with the help of Becky Bullard from the Metro Nashville-Davidson County Office of Family Safety in Nashville. At first, a small number of agencies began using the Safe Shelter Collaborative to crowdsource funding for hotel stays using the SafeNight app. With interest growing from those early adopters and the planning committee of motivated and intrepid individuals supporting them along the way, more agencies joined, creating a Tennessee Hub that finds shelter faster for survivors of interpersonal violence. At our launch event in late September, the excitement was palpable: these agencies were ready to go! Thanks to everyone who made the Tennessee Hub a reality, and special kudos to the planning committee:
Becky Owens Bullard, Metro Nashville-Davidson County Office of Family Safety, Nashville, TN
Jennifer Escue, TN Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence
Melissa Garrett, Genesis House, Cookville, TN
Chelsie Leonard, The McNabb Center, Knoxville, TN
Jenci Spradlin, WRAP (Wo/Men's Resource and Rape Assistance Program), Jackson, TN
Kirsten Hipkins, Hannah McCarty, and Stephanie Reyes, Community Alliance for the Homeless, Memphis, TN