Nashville SC Announces Fourth Round of Grants from Nashville SC Community Fund to Benefit Local Organizations
MLS Nashville SC

Nashville SC Announces Fourth Round of Grants from Nashville SC Community Fund to Benefit Local Organizations

Published on August 27, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nashville Soccer Club announced today the fourth round of grant awards from the Nashville SC Community Fund, which serves to provide support to local nonprofits, community initiatives, and projects throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Since its inception in 2022, the Nashville SC Community Fund Grant Program has awarded more than $176,000 to 23 organizations spanning the mid-state.

This year, the Nashville SC Community Fund is awarding $51,000 to seven exemplary local organizations: Interfaith Dental, Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE), Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, Monroe Harding, FUTURO, Friends Life Community, and Shower the People. The funds will support specific projects from each organization and programs focused on the club's community pillars: Youth Engagement, Health, & Well-Being, and Inclusion.

"Since launching in 2022, the Nashville SC Community Fund has proudly supported local non-profit organizations that are working to strengthen and enrich the greater Nashville area," said Brandon Hill, Nashville SC Head of Community Engagement. "Now in our fourth year, we remain committed to backing groups whose missions align with our shared goal of building a better, more connected community. We're inspired by the progress we've seen so far and are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the meaningful work being done."

Grantee overview:

Interfaith Dental will receive $10,000 for its Smile Assist program that will provide 700 children experiencing poverty in middle Tennessee a dental home where they will receive emergency, restorative, and preventive oral health care and oral health education to reduce the cycle of dental disease in families.

Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) has been granted $10,000 for its Youth Impact Program that supports cognitive, academic, & social-emotional skill development in refugee and immigrant children through after-school, mentorship, & summer programs.

Brooklyn Heights Community Garden will receive $10,000 to support its Seeds of Change Youth Urban Gardening Project which is designed to connect local youth to the land, their heritage, and each other through hands-on gardening, food, and justice education.

Monroe Harding has been granted $7,500 to help fund Monroe Gardens, a youth-developed social enterprise that offers hands-on education-to-employment experiences that build leadership skills and provide meaningful opportunities for youth to drive their own success and support peers.

FUTURO will receive $5,000 for its Future Select 100 program where students learn to "LEAD.SERVE.CONNECT" in a supported cohort where they build career skills, learn self-efficacy, and improve economic mobility.

Friends Life Community has been granted $5,000 to support its Pedal Pals Bike Club, a nine-month adaptive bike program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities that meets weekly and builds essential bike skills through structured, progressive lessons.

Shower the People will receive $3,500 in funding for its Handle with Care program which provides free weekly laundry services to low-income individuals in Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) to reduce financial strain, support physical health, and promote mental well-being by ensuring consistent access to clean clothing.

The Nashville SC Community Fund is housed at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and is committed to supporting organizations and programs that enrich and enhance our community.

For regular updates on Nashville SC's continued community engagement, visit www.NashvilleSC.com/community or follow the club's official social media channels on TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

QUOTE REPOSITORY:

Dr. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi, Chief Executive Officer at Interfaith Dental: "Nashville Soccer Club's Community Fund's support will fund the Interfaith Dental's Smile Assist program, opening the door to oral health care for 700 children experiencing poverty in our community. Just imagine the impact! Seven hundred kids will not have to miss school because of a toothache, will sleep better, eat better, and focus on learning instead of pain. The true beauty of this partnership with NSC is that it also allows kids to move from emergency care to prevention, giving children the chance to not just heal but to go on offense and thrive and reach their goal of never getting another cavity."

Rob Manauis, Associate Director of Youth Education at NICE: "Every school year and every summer, our students express that they need more soccer equipment and more soccer-related activities. When they learn that we have a soccer team in Nashville, they also express wanting to go see a Nashville SC game at GEODIS Park. Soccer activities tend to increase attendance, engagement, and confidence in our students because sometimes they can feel like soccer is one of the few things they're good at that brings them joy in a school setting. Funding from the Nashville Soccer Club Community Fund means that we can help our students and families become more connected with their community through the game they deeply love. This important partnership symbolizes how what they care about is valued by us and unifies us no matter where we come from. It means we can welcome them as part of our team, to truly help make Nashville feel like home."

Ximena Marquez, Board President at Brooklyn Heights Community Garden: "This support from Nashville Soccer Club is more than a grant - it is an investment in our youth and our community. At Brooklyn Heights Community Garden, our programs empower young people through hands-on learning and leadership development, while ensuring our neighbors have access to free, healthy food. We are thankful for NSC's partnership in helping us nurture both the next generation and the well-being of our neighborhood."

Pamela Madison, CEO at Monroe Harding: "With Nashville Soccer Club's partnership, Monroe Gardens can continue to plant, nurture, and grow not only fresh herbs but also the skills and confidence our young adults need to thrive. This social enterprise is more than a garden. It is a community where resilience and opportunity take root."

Jennifer Novo, Executive Director at FUTURO: ""FUTURO deals in the currency of hope. As a career-readiness organization for first-generation college students, we not only focus on professional development, but we also provide a supportive community. Students can count on FUTURO for a sense of belonging on campus, leading to higher graduation rates and a thriving community of diverse professionals entering the workforce. Our students benefit from leadership opportunities, career growth, and community engagement - all of which promote economic mobility. Our goal is to ensure our students graduate with a degree in one hand and a job offer in the other. Thanks to the support of Nashville Soccer Club, hundreds of students will be supported in their college and career goals, uplifting the next generation of young, ambitious career professionals who are hopeful for a better tomorrow."

Waverly Ann Harris, CEO at Friends Life Community: "We are deeply grateful for Nashville SC's generous support of the Friends and Friends Life Community. Thanks to partners like Nashville SC, the Friends and their families can rely on us as a life-long resource-a place where adults with disabilities continue to grow personally, develop socially, and continue to be active members of the Nashville community with the tools they need to use their voices for justice and equality. Nashville Soccer Club's commitment to our mission exemplifies what it means to be a true community partner."

Meredith MacLeod, Executive Director at Shower the People: "We are so grateful to Nashville Soccer Club for supporting our Handle with Care laundry program. This funding will provide free laundry services for low-income families, including children in MNPS schools, helping them feel clean, confident, and ready to learn in the classroom."

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