AARP
Issues:
• Social security
• Health care
• Issues facing retired people

Description: State office of the nation’s largest advocacy group for the interests of seniors and retired people.

Contact: tnaarp@aarp.org, www.aarp.org/states/tn

ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR REFORM NOW (ACORN)
Issues:
• Economic justice
• Grassroots organizing
• Health care, housing, safety, jobs, schools.

Description: New to Nashville in the Fall of 2005 is a chapter of ACORN, the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families. Organizes on a broad range of issues of concern to low and moderate income people.

Contact: Gene Kelly, 414-8942, NashvilleACORN@comcast.net, www.acorn.org

AD-HOC FOR EQUITY
Issues:
• Grassroots empowerment
• Anti-racism

Description: Small grassroots organization working for political and economic empowerment of traditionally marginalized people, publishes “The Real Deal” newsletter.

Contact: Kenneth Caine, 668-9156, riverprint@aol.com

AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL ALLIANCE
Issues:
• African heritage
• Youth empowerment

Description: The Alliance develops projects and produces events including festivals, lectures, workshops and exhibits which focus on African heritage and the cultural contributions of African-Americans.

Contact: Kwame (Leo) Lillard, 299-0412, kwame.lillard@state.tn.us

CAMPUS FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Issues:
• Homeless services
• Respite care
• Education

Description: Non-profit organization providing services to Nashville’s homeless population.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Teach a class or provide 1-on-1 support to homeless individuals around: GED, job training, art classes, legal rights and much, much more.  Call to make an appointment for a volunteer training at the Campus.
Special Project: ROOM AT THE INN- Are you a congregation leader and want to get your congregation involved?  Room at the Inn makes sure that folks on the street have a place to stay in the winter (your congregation!). 

Contact: Mitzi Cerjan, 242-2514, mitzicerjan@chd-nashville.org, www.chd-nashville.org

CONEXION AMERICAS
Issues:
• Immigrants Rights
• Cultural Competency
• Spanish language resources and services

Description: Works to help Hispanic families realize their aspirations for social and economic advancement by promoting their social, economic an civic integration into the Middle Tennessee community.

Contact: Maria Clara Mejia, 320-5152, mariaclara@conamericas.com,  www.conamericas.com

DIVERSITY IN DIALOGUE (SCARRITT BENNETT CENTER)
Issues:
• Inter-cultural communication

Description: Coordinates dialogue groups of 10-15 people, from diverse backgrounds, and two facilitators who meet to hold conversations on community issues

Contact: Kim Johnson, 340-7450, diversity@scarrittbennett.org,
www.scarrittbennett.org/programs/divdialogue.aspx

FinD 18 (FAITH IN DEMOCRACY)
Issues:
• Civic participation
• Voting rights

Description: seeks to re-direct America by inspiring 2.7 million non-voting Tennesseans to become engaged in the democratic process.

Contact: Jeff Wilson, 252-8230, Jeffwilson@hermitage.com, www.find18.org

FOOD NOT BOMBS
Issues:
• Saving wasted food
• Feeding the homeless
• Direct action

Description: Every Sunday at 2pm, Food Not Bombs rescues edible food that has been thrown away by grocery stores and uses it to prepare community meals for homeless people and the general public.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Come help cook in the morning, help serve at the Legislative Plaza, help clean up or ALL 3.

Contact: Santana Marcrum, 598-8976

GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE TO SAVE TENNCARE (GROC)
Issues:
• Accessible health care

Description: GROC is a grassroots group of TennCare enrollees, people cut from TennCare, their friends, families and concerned citizens, working to reverse the TennCare cuts.

Contact:
Natalie Nelson, 292-3618, drbrignel@yahoo.com, Dan Joranko, 430-2455, jorankod@msu.edu

LIVING INCOME FOR VANDERBILT EMPLOYEES (LIVE)
Issues:
• Living wage for lowest-paid Vanderbilt employees

Description: Works to create a better work environment at Vanderbilt, of mutual respect and equality within the Vanderbilt community, with the goal of a living wage as a central element to the campaign.

Contact: Liza Barley, 477-7453, liza.barley@vanderbilt.edu, www.angelfire.com/tn3/suvpage

MANNA / ALTERNATIVE CONNECTIONS
Issues:
• Hunger
• Families-First advocacy

Description: MANNA fights hunger in Tennessee-sponsors 1,000,000 meals for children each year, connects people to food assistance, works with participants in benefit programs to promote changes. Alternative Connections is an organization that advocates for the rights of people on Families First (formerly AFDC)—made up of recipients and former recipients.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Educate former recipients to promote changes in thought patterns.

Contact:
Christina Kretchik, 329-0022, clkretchik@yahoo.com, Valerie Martin, 244-2206, vmartin@onemain.com

NAACP
Issues:
• Voting rights
• Health disparities
• Education

Description: The NAACP, our nation’s most prominent Civil Rights organization, continues to stand proudly on the foundation of a rich, historic tradition that dates back for more than nine decades.

Contact: naacpnashville@yahoo.com, 329-0999, www.naacpnashvilletn.org

NASHVILLE COPWATCH
Issues:
• Police brutality
• Solidarity with communities harassed by the police

Description: A small volunteer run collective that seeks to end police brutality by monitoring police interaction by videotaping interactions with police and community members on video camera and supporting victims of police brutality.

Contact: nashvillecopwatch@yahoogroups.com

NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY AND JUSTICE (NCCJ)
Issues:
• Anti-racism
• Youth
• Cultural awareness

Description: Sponsors intensive youth programs to encourage dialogue about issues of race, ethnicity, difference, and social change.

Contact:
Tommy Royston, 327.1755, troyston@nccj.org, www.nccj.org (click on “regional offices” for Nashville)

PEACE COALITION
Issues:
• Iraq war
• Disarmament

Description: Nashville’s foremost organization working to voice public opposition to the War in Iraq as well as other timely social justice issues.

Contact: Bill Harkey, 292-7008, billharkey@bellsouth.net

PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF MIDDLE & EAST TN
Issues:
• Reproductive choice
• Accurate and accessible information and education on reproductive issues

Description: Reproductive health care services, plus educational programs and public policy advocacy.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Increase awareness through education of reproductive choices.

Contact: Jeanna Emert, 345-0952, jeannae@ppmet.org, www.ppmet.org

RACE RELATIONS INSTITUTE AT FISK UNIVERSITY
Issues:
• Anti-racism
• Cultural exchange

Description: works to improve race relations in the United States through strategic message dissemination, research and national dialogue.

Contact: Hazel Joyner-Smith, 329-8812, hsmith@fisk.edu, www.fisk.edu  (click on “Race Relations Institute”)

STAND FOR CHILDREN
Issues:
• Early childhood education
• School funding

Description: brings together people from all walks of life – parents, grandparents, people who work with children, and others who care about the next generation – in order to make children a top political priority.

Contact: Sarah Niebler, niebler@stand.org, 726 1414, www.stand.org/tn

TENNESSEE ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS (TAP)
Issues:
• Budget reform
• Connecting issues

Description: a statewide coalition whose central purpose is the establishment of healthy families and communities throughout the State.

Contact: Nell Levin, 579 0451, nellrose@earthlink.net, www.tennesseeallianceforprogress.org

TENNESSEE COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Issues:
• Domestic violence
• Survivor advocacy

Description: works toward the vision of ending violence in the lives of Tennesseans through public policy, advocacy, education, and activities which increase the capacity of programs and communities to address violence.

Contact: 386-9406, tcadsv@tcadsv.org, www.tcadsv.org

TENNESSEE DISABILITY COALITION
Issues:
• Home /community based care
• Advocacy for disabled people
• TennCare

Description: an alliance of organizations and individuals in Tennessee that have joined to promote the full and equal participation of men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life.

Contact: Carol Westlake, carol_w@tndisability.org, 383-9442, www.tndisability.org

TENNESSEE EQUALITY PROJECT
Issues:
• GLBTQ rights
• Marriage equality

Description: Newly formed group working to promote and sustain the equality of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons in the State of Tennessee through the establishment of fair and equitable laws protecting these rights and the elimination of laws that would seek to counter this effort.

Contact: Carl Webb, 664-6886, info@tnep.org, www.tnep.org

TENNESSEANS FOR FAIR TAXATION
Issues:
• Tax fairness

Description: works to create a more fair and progressive tax structure that ensures adequate revenues for the benefit of all Tennesseans.  TFT does workshop on Tennessee’s Tax Structure, how it works, how it doesn’t and how to create a JUST tax structure.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Support TFT’s work through office support, specifically, support for phone banking, mailings and newsletter.

Specials Project: During Election season TFT needs your help to help to public education, participate in legislative activities and to help develop more just tax reform.

Contact: Saul Eddy, 615-227-7584, www.yourtax.org

TENNESSEE HEALTH CARE CAMPAIGN
Issues:
• TennCare
• Accessible health care

Description: As a not-for-profit organization, the Tennessee Health Care Campaign (THCC) monitors TennCare to understand the enrollment process, the package of benefits, and the process for filing medical and administrative grievances when necessary.

Contact: Tony Garr, 227-7500, tgarr@thcc2.org, Michelle Polk, 227-7500, mpolk@thcc2.org, www.tenncare.org

TENNESSEE INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER (IMC)
Issues:
• Public media access
• Alternative / radical media

Description: Believing that the flow of free information cannot function if only the wealthy have access to the media, the TN IMC functions as a community forum for the voices and viewpoints generally ignored or misrepresented by the corporate media.

Contact: Chris Lugo, 593-0304, christopherlugo@aol.com, www.tnimc.org

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION PROJECT
Issues:
• Anti-racism
• Youth
• Arts and activism
• Hunger and homelessness

Description: a loosely knit community of people striving to eliminate racial injustice, poverty and war. Also sponsors Community He(art) Beats, an arts activism project for youth.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Uses youth from at risk backgrounds to speak candidly about their experiences in order to communicate the issues to other communities.

Contact: Sean Siple, 352-3474, the_reminder@hotmail.com

TYING NASHVILLE TOGETHER
Issues:
• House-meeting based organizing
• Recent campaign was grocery store audits

Description: a broad-based citizens organization that consists of churches, synagogues, businesses, and neighborhood associations, where people of faith and power come together to improve our community.

Contact:
Deirdra Reed, 327-2625, tnt2gthr@tyingnashvilletogether.org, www.tyingnashvilletogether.org

WALK-BIKE NASHVILLE
Issues:
• Advocacy for pedestrian- and bike- friendly city planning

Description: works to increase the use of bicycling and walking in order to reduce traffic congestion, air and noise pollution, and improve the quality of life in Nashville.

Contact: glen.a.wanner@vanderbilt.edu, www.walkbikenashville.org