Rising Stars: Meet Melissa Thomas of Antioch

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Thomas.

Hi Melissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a mom of 6 kids, 5 of whom I gave birth to and I often tell people that was the training grounds for my current work! I learned a lot of crisis management. After spending significant time doing work to restore homes in Pass Christian, MS after Hurricane Katrina, I was praying about what to do in our own community. 

Of course,The flood of May 2010 was a historical event in Nashville. In Antioch, 25″ of rain caused creeks and rivers to overflow, inundating homes, schools, churches, and businesses. Neighbors rallied to the aid of those who were in danger and those who lost their homes. In Southeast Nashville, churches and organizations came together in a great symphony of oneness and formed Southeast Nashville Recovery. In the summer of 2012, after completing work on 312 homes, I finished Southeast Nashville Recovery’s work.

Though the crisis was over and many people’s lives returned to normal, the community still had unmet needs. With input from Second Harvest Food Bank and community members, the group decided that a good food bank would greatly benefit the area because, for some, the hunger didn’t fade as the flood water receded. In April 2013, The Branch opened its doors to meet this need.

In 2014, we started the English Language Learning (ELL) program. By getting to know the guests who came to pick up food, we discovered that many of our guests needed help learning to speak English. Not knowing English was isolating, restricted their earning potential, and kept them in poverty.

Today, over 1,200 families receive food from The Branch Pantry each month, and 160 adult learners are enrolled in English classes. Volunteers from local businesses, schools, and churches join with the staff to grow The Branch community. We enjoy a special partnership with Antioch United Methodist Church which has helped us serve the community by allowing us to operate from the CLC.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Running a nonprofit is not for the faint of heart. You must be passionate, driven, and surrounded by others with the skills you don’t possess.  The first challenge we faced was figuring out how to help those coming to us learn English. Many of our clients, both in the beginning and now, are foreign-born. They come to find safety in a new country but can’t navigate the culture because they don’t speak the language. We started English language classes in 2014, knowing that communication is one of the pathways out of need.

As with many nonprofits, funding is always a challenge. We started as a small food pantry serving the Antioch area. When the pandemic hit, we faced a dilemma: close down because of all the shortages and quarantines or expand our service because of the great need. We chose to expand our service to include all of middle Tennessee. Of course, our expansion put a strain on our finances, but individuals, businesses, and government agencies stepped in to ensure we could serve those in need. We are now looking to expand again, and with that comes the need for even more significant funding.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The Branch was founded to meet Antioch’s serious problem of food insecurity. From the start, we knew that giving food is not enough to help a family to be able to flourish. Our neighbors have deeper unmet needs that cause them to need food support. In early 2020, we began developing a program for our clients to help them discover what issues are playing into their poverty. When Covid hit Nashville, our dreams of starting the program that we call Fresh Solutions had to take a back seat to the immediate need of people whose jobs closed their doors. We are now returning to our dream of giving our neighbors the option of exploring what their real needs are and helping them to find the resources to fulfill those needs. We know this will be a long journey, but it is an offer or help beyond a cart of food. It is a way for each person to identify their own need and access the means to move beyond need and into thriving.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am really an introvert who loves to be at home doing projects. I’m not great at sitting still but always want to be doing something. But being on a mission will drive you to do what you never imagined you could do. And God will use anyone who is willing to get the work of justice and mercy done. All of us can play a part in that work.

Pricing:

• Food assistance is free
• Traditional English classes – $500/year (3 semesters, 2 classes/week)
• Intensive English classes – $950/year (3 semesters, 4 classes/week

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thebranchofnashville.org
• Instagram: @thebranchnashville
• Facebook: The Branch of Nashville

Image Credits
David Thomas Creative