Monthly Service Challenge

Each month, a new mission will be posted as motivation for us all to roll up our sleeves and serve our communities. Be sure to keep the Office of the First Lady in the loop by posting on social media using #TennesseeServes for a chance to be recognized as a Service Spotlight. Grab your friends, family, classmates or colleagues and join us as Tennessee Serves!

M ay

Tennessee Serves Supports Rural Tennessee

Rural Tennessee is a core part of who we are as a state and when our rural communities thrive, Tennessee thrives. Throughout May, Tennessee Serves is supporting Tennessee’s rural communities in a multitude of ways.

One of the key missions of Tennessee Serves is to focus on rural and distressed counties in Tennessee. Often, these more remote communities have less resources, financial support, and volunteer power than Tennessee’s more urban areas. It’s important for us to help our neighbors who are struggling in these areas and work together to improve their access to resources.

Thanks to the tireless work of so many, our state has seen great improvement in our rural communities over the course of the Lee administration with the total number of distressed counties reducing from 15 to 8 since 2019. We must continue these efforts to ensure all of rural Tennessee is supported and cared for.

There are so many ways each of us can serve our neighbors in rural communities. Join Tennessee Serves this month as we continue in our commitment to rural Tennesseans by supporting and empowering them to succeed. 

Service Opportunities

Rural Tennessee Nonprofits

East
Rural Resources Farm and Food Education Center
Appalachia Service Project
Appalachian Quality of Life
Children’s Center of the Cumberlands
Empower Cocke County 
South Cumberland Community Fund
The Mission
Morgan Scott Project
Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development Council
Bledsoe County Food Bank

Middle
Maranatha Women’s Ministry
Helping Hands
Perry County Communitive Collaborative 
Hope on the Square
Perry County Food Bank-Plus
South Cumberland Community Fund
Grundy County Food Bank
Mountain TOP Outreach Ministries

West
Wolf River Conservancy
Reelfoot Rural Ministries
Tennessee Homeless Solutions
Rural Health Association of TN
Mid South Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry Distribution
Tiptonville Senior Center
Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center of Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County Family Resource Center

Statewide
Tennessee AgrAbility
Tennessee FFA Foundation
Tennessee 4-H
 

Everyday Ways to Serve