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Stories of Hope & Courage
2020 has been a tumultuous year for everyone: a global pandemic, an economic downturn, and natural disasters damaging homes across the Southeast.
In spite of the hardships our communities have faced, we at Inspiritus have found hope in the inspiring stories of resilience and courage that have emerged from our volunteers, staff, and those we serve.
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Upcoming Events
Our Hope Tree program gives the gift of hope to children in foster care, refugee families seeking a new life, and adults with developmental disabilities.
Please support this year's Hope Tree program by signing up to purchase a $25 gift card(s) and mailing them to Inspiritus: P.O. Box 7829 Atlanta, GA 30357 by December 16th.
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NURSING & CLINICAL SERVICES |
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Inspiritus is providing nursing and clinical services to adults who have significant health/behavioral challenges and children who are in foster care. These adults and kids have been especially impacted by COVID-19. Individuals served by our Disability Services program are receiving more intensive nursing and clinical services: over 30% now receive case management from a registered nurse, and 75% are receiving in-home primary health practitioner visits. |
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Phillip (left photo) is enrolled in our Disability Services Program, and he voted for the very first time on November 3rd. After casting his ballot at his local polling station, he was cheered on by students, staff, and other voters.
Our Disability Services program currently hosts 83 adults in residential placements across 72 host homes. We’re rapidly expanding our host home network, and have 45 new homes preparing to open soon.
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REFUGEE & IMMIGRANT SERVICES |
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Refugees and immigrants have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Since March, hundreds of refugees in Atlanta and Savannah have faced job losses or encountered unsafe working conditions.
These families had worked hard to become self-sufficient after resettling in the USA. Inspiritus staff and donors have come together to empower these families to thrive again through our employment services and emergency financial assistance efforts.
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On March 3rd, a devastating tornado hit Tennessee, and damage extended all the way from Nashville to Cookeville. Inspiritus is now leading a long-term
recovery effort to rebuild Cookeville with the support of our partners and donors. This year, our region has experienced one of the worst hurricane seasons on record. Our teams have responded to four hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, and have completed over 269 response jobs, which include roof tarping, muck and gut services, and heavy chainsaw work.
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FAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES |
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Inspiritus’ foster families provide nurturing homes for children who are in foster care, with special attention paid to the children’s individual medical, emotional, educational, and social needs. Since March, we’ve adapted and now conduct Foster Care Orientation Sessions online, and our staff and nurses ensure that medically fragile foster children are cared for and living in stable and loving home environments.
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MIDDLE TENNESSEE PROGRAMS |
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This year, Inspiritus Middle Tennessee has provided over 1,000 COVID-19 Prevention Kits, served 1,909 individuals through our Nashville Food Pantry, and sponsored 204 active family gardens for families in low-income communities. We also expanded our MyCanvas Youth Arts program
to help children thrive despite their experiences with the tornado, racial and social injustices, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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In March, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the need for our hunger relief services in Nashville. At the same time, shelter in place orders caused many of our volunteers in charge of its operations to put their service on hold. Thanks to the determination and perseverance of our staff (including Gloria in photo to the left), and neighborhood volunteers who themselves depend on the food pantry, we were one of the few to remain open continuously in the Nashville region this year. |
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We continue to need your support to keep our programs and services well-equipped to make a difference. Please consider making your end-of-year donation to Inspiritus. We are so grateful for supporters like you. We wish you safe and healthy holiday season!
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