The Community Campaign: So All Shall Rise

So All Shall Rise will prepare Martha O’Bryan Center for future growth to better serve Nashville families.

Martha O’Bryan Center announced in 2019 the public phase of its comprehensive fundraising campaign, “The Community Campaign: So All Shall Rise.” The $15 million campaign is raising funds for three integrated components: Explore! Community School’s building, renovations to the Center’s headquarter campus, and expanded programming for families. Martha O’Bryan has more than 85 percent of its $15 million goal already raised.

Operating from the heart of Cayce Place in East Nashville, Martha O’Bryan Center and Explore! Community School are at the center of a transforming neighborhood, where capacity to house the very poor is increasing as Cayce Place becomes a mixed-income, mixed-use community under MDHA’s ambitious Envision Cayce process.

Celebrating 125 years of service, Martha O’Bryan Center has grown into a $20 million organization, serving at 12 sites across the city. With that growth comes needed changes to infrastructure and programming needs. The Community Campaign: So All Shall Rise will renovate the existing buildings and add a much needed 32,000 square feet.

The campaign will help improve program space and quality, serve more of the community, and connect families with the tools, networks, and opportunities they need for economic mobility and family stability in a client-centered strategy. It will feature an expanded early learning center, a larger community kitchen and food pantry, and offer a deeper employment strategy for families and individuals.

“This campaign will allow us the space to focus on person-centered, data-driven work directly advancing equity using two-generation, whole family approaches,” said Marsha Edwards, President and CEO of Martha O’Bryan Center. “We are excited about having the space to go beyond traditional human service delivery models to create permanent pathways out of poverty.”

This process will break down the silos typically found in child-and-adult-serving programs, bringing services and staff together in one comprehensive space. This campaign will build an environment that promotes student success, family stability and economic upward mobility.

“We are so excited for the changes coming to Martha O’Bryan Center,” said Marilyn Greer, Cayce community member and Martha O’Bryan Board of Directors. “So All Shall Rise will write a new chapter of success for this neighborhood and at a time when Envision Cayce is bringing hope to our community.”

You can give or pledge support for The Community Campaign: So All Shall Rise with our online pledge card here. You can also call the development team at (615) 254-1791 or email us at [email protected] for any questions or to schedule a tour.