Barnabas Vision Homelessness Prevention

…assists needy Middle TN residents with rent and utility costs through emergency financial assistance to prevent these at-risk residents from becoming homeless or losing utility services.

Some needs we may fill are:

Rent

Rent Deposits

Electric bills

Water bills

Gas bills

Potential clients in need contact us for assistance.

Each client completes an application process.

Barnabas Vision Staff conducts a telephone interview to assess the need and eligibility.

Clients receiving assistance are required to attend Barnabas Vision LIFE skills classes and submit documentation verifying identification and need.

Barnabas Vision Christmas Sponsorship

…provides joy through Christmas gifts of needs and wishes to needy families, teens, and children in Rutherford County through sponsorship.

Recipients of sponsorship are identified through Rutherford Co. school’s ATLAS program, contacts through our hotline, and current clients of our LIFE Program.

We work to match all needs with any level of sponsorship given.

Sponsors are identified and matched through a Google interest form on our website.

Individuals, groups, and businesses can sponsor needy children, teens, and families.

Sponsors are offered flexibility in type of sponsorship to meet their preferences.

Wish lists are emailed to sponsors who then shop for approximately 5 -7 gifts per individual based on ideas from wish list.

Sponsors wrap gifts, label them, and bring them in a large box or bag to BV office by December 14th.

Barnabas Vision hosts a party for parents and counselors to collect and deliver gifts.

Family Sponsorship averages $150 per family member (typically $600 – $750)

Individual Child Sponsorship for those experiencing hard times (single parents, parents with special needs children, children being raised by non-parent family members) averages $150 – $200 per child

Teen Sponsorship (designated homeless or otherwise identified by school counselors as those most in need) averages $200 per teen.

Click Here to Sponsor

Barnabas Vision LIFE Program

…connects needy individuals, identified by our staff social worker, with resources in long-term life skills, emotional support, and spiritual guidance through:

Life skills classes taught by Barnabas Vision staff in such areas as:

setting and assessing life goals, finding housing, maintaining a household budget, managing payment of bills in a timely manner, exercise & nutrition for health, cooking on a budget, etc.

Connecting clients with mental health resources.

Assistance with keeping medical appointments.

Encouragement through one-on-one life skills counseling.

Listening, praying, and offering spiritual guidance for life’s challenging situations.

Advocacy for clients as needed.

Staff training (some of which is available to the community) for working with those at risk.

Barnabas Vision Pastoral Care

…encourages those in need through:

One-on-one consultation to help discouraged and lonely individuals know they are valued, and to view circumstances through a biblical lens with the foundation that God is in control.

Long-term care facility and hospital visits to encourage those with health challenges.

Bible study and prayer with clients needing spiritual support.

Connecting those in need with emergency financial resources including those related to housing needs, transportation, or gas provision,

Connecting clients with other agencies that fill needs not met by Barnabas Vision

Barnabas Vision Biblical Coping Ministry

…works with local assisted living facilities to provide encouragement and support to residents through:

Weekly devotionals and bible studies with residents of long-term care facilities.

Devotional materials distributed to facilities for their use.

Weekly Biblical Coping Skills classes for clients that have applied for assistance.

One-on-one consultation to help clients view individual circumstances through a biblical lens with the foundation that God is in control.

Barnabas Vision Coat Drive

… provides families in the community with warm winter coats at no cost.