By Myriah Snyder
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — When Lifeway Christian Resources employees met for their biannual One Lifeway gathering on Tuesday, Sept. 24, the company presented a $70,000 check to the Nashville Rescue Mission (NRM).
NRM’s goal is to provide “hope for today, hope for tomorrow, and hope for eternity to those who are hungry, hurting, and experiencing homelessness.” This year, NRM is celebrating 70 years of service and operations. Their initial focus was serving men by providing clothing, food and shelter, but they were able to expand their reach to women and children as well in 1968.
The $70,000 gift was provided by Lifeway’s Better Together Project initiative, a monetary fund and service initiative focused on meeting needs in the Nashville community and beyond. The check was presented to Mike Cowles, director of major gifts for NRM. Lifeway employees have now donated more than $215,000 to the NRM since 2018.
Lifeway employees can voluntarily designate a portion of their paycheck toward the Better Together Project and selected charitable endeavors. Sixty percent of the fund is allocated to the NRM, while 20% funds mission work and 20% supports employees and retirees in need.
Speaking to Cowles at the One Lifeway gathering, Lifeway President and CEO Ben Mandrell shared his gratitude that employees could “have this opportunity to give our money to help you guys do what you need to do to pay your bills, build the things you need to build and continue to move forward.”
In addition to financial contributions, Lifeway provides opportunities for teams and individuals to directly volunteer at NRM. Over the last few years, Lifeway teams and individuals have volunteered 1,800 hours and helped serve over 38,000 meals to those in need. Additional opportunities for service and connection between the two organizations are in development.
Earlier this year, Mandrell encouraged Lifeway employees to continue partnering with NRM. He said there’s a 47% increase in the number of women and a 76% increase in the number of children needing shelter in the past year. For the first time, women and children outnumber men at NRM.
Cowles echoed the great need the mission has and his gratitude for this partnership. In 2024, NRM opened a facility to house 350 women and children. “We’re actually over capacity right now,” he said. “But God is providing for us. We’re able to serve everyone that comes to us. In addition to those women and children, the NRM serves over 500 men suffering from homelessness daily.
“While that is a terrible number to have, it is such a blessing to be able to do that for folks, because any of us sitting in this room today could be in that position,” Cowles told employees at the One Lifeway gathering.
“I wish that homelessness was cured, and we were out of business,” he continued. “But that’s not the case. And so, the folks like you that take the time to volunteer with us and give your treasure to us is just amazing.”
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Myriah Snyder is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources. Lauren Bearry, Lifeway’s Summer 2024 Communications intern, also contributed to this article.
In operation since 1891, Lifeway Christian Resources is one of the leading providers of Christian resources, including Bibles, books, Bible studies, group curriculum, Christian music and movies, Vacation Bible School, and church supplies, as well as camps and events for all ages. Lifeway is the world’s largest provider of Spanish Bibles. Based in Brentwood, Tennessee, Lifeway operates as a self-supporting nonprofit. For more information, visit Lifeway.com.
