Today we’d like to introduce you to Rae Sanchez.
Hi Rae, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My life has been a journey of both purpose and pain—deeply rooted in the idea that even in the hardest times, we can find strength, and even in broken places, we can rebuild. Ultimately it is about not giving up when you go down. Resilience.
I’ve spent the last two decades working locally to address poverty, homelessness, and inequality. I began my career in broadcast communications but quickly found myself drawn to public service. Over the years, I held leadership roles focused on affordable housing and community development, eventually serving with Shelter Equity a local non profit as the Director of the HUD Continuum of Care for the central part of the state of Tennessee. That role gave me a clearer picture of just how complex—and solvable—our housing and homelessness challenges are when we approach them with compassion and coordination.
In 2021, I founded the Tennessee Resilience Project (TRP) to bring together local organizations through a systems-focused, collaborative approach. My goal is not just to provide services but to create pathways—long-term, generational change—through a two-generation model that lifts up both parents and children. This work is more than a career; it’s a calling.
This mission is deeply personal for me. About 18 months ago, I lost my 23-year-old son to a rare and devastating form of epilepsy. His seizures could last anywhere from 8 to 48 hours, and watching him live through that with so much courage and resilience changed me forever. Losing him broke something in me that may never fully heal.
I’ve been through deep loss before. When I was just 30, I lost my first husband. At the time, I thought I had faced the hardest thing a person could go through—I thought I was tough as nails. But nothing prepares you for losing a child. The pain is different. The grief is different. It tests every part of you.
And still, I believe God has a plan. I hold onto that every day. I’m blessed to be married to a truly wonderful man, and together we’ve raised six beautiful children. They give me joy, they give me strength, and they remind me every day why this work matters—because every family deserves hope, and every life deserves dignity.
Grief is now a companion in my life. But so is purpose. My son’s strength fuels mine. Resilience, to me, isn’t about being unbreakable—it’s about waking up each day and choosing to keep going, to keep loving, to keep building something that matters.
That’s what TRP is about. It’s about standing in the gap for those who feel forgotten. It’s about showing people that their story doesn’t end with their hardest chapter even if it was the first chapter of their lives. We help people rebuild—and in doing so, we help communities understand where struggle meets resilience, there you will find TRP.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. We launched during the pandemic, a time when funding was more available and people were united in wanting to help the most vulnerable—but that momentum has faded. Now, as funding dries up, the focus has shifted from people to dollars, and that’s been a tough reality for someone like me who has always centered this work around human lives. The hardest part is watching decisions being made based on budgets rather than need, knowing the people we serve don’t have the luxury of waiting. At the end of the day, people are all that matter—because everything we build, and everything we fight for, starts and ends with them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Absolutely,
At TRP, we walk alongside families who are on the edge of homelessness—or already in it—and help them find stability, dignity, and hope. We specialize in prevention and diversion, meaning we step in before a family ends up in a shelter. That can look like helping with rent, utilities, transportation, or simply being the voice that advocates for them when no one else will. What sets us apart is that we don’t just provide short-term help—we walk with people through their goal-setting and progress for up to two years, checking in often to make sure they feel supported every step of the way. We focus on people first—not just programs or paperwork—and we build real relationships rooted in trust and connection, helping families tap into what we call social capital.
What sets us apart is that we don’t just help people out of crisis—we help them build a future. Through stabilization programs like financial education, job pathways, and health and wellness support, we’re there long after the emergency ends. Our goal is long-term change—so families don’t end up back where they started. We see the strength in every person who comes through our doors, and our job is to help them see it too. That’s the work we do—one family, one story, one connection at a time.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
How You Can Help:
1. Donate online at : https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=RFD22EXXPB2H2
2. Share our mission with your network.
3. Volunteer your time or expertise. https://trptn.org/volunteer/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://trptn.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tennesseeresilienceproject/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TennResilienceProject
- Twitter: https://x.com/TennResilience
