“I started for my son. I finished for me.”
"When I started, I was doing it for my son. By the end, I knew I was doing it for me."
Those were the honest, profound words from one of our customers, talking to me just moments before proudly receiving her graduation certificate. A mom who had stepped into this journey with one goal: to build a better life for her child. She carried the weight of food insecurity, of bills, of long days—and still dared to hope for a future where her son could thrive.
In the early days of the program, her vision was singular: stability for her son—enough income to buy groceries, cover school supplies, and meet life’s daily needs. But as the months unfolded, something remarkable happened.Through study, hard work, and the steady encouragement of peers and instructors, she discovered that this wasn’t just about her son. It was about her, too. About her own dignity. Her own dreams. Her own confidence. She stepped into a professional community where her skills mattered, her education opened doors, and her self-sufficiency became its own source of pride.
I was speechless as she shared this with me.This small but mighty Registered Behavior Technician graduating class was a living example of what partnership can build. Belmont University. TCAT Nashville. The Family Wellbeing Program. The Scarlett Family Foundation. And so many others. Each partner brought something unique to the table—expertise, resources, encouragement, opportunity.
But at the center of it all were the graduates themselves. Many single parents, balancing jobs, childcare, transportation challenges, and the daily demands of life—all while showing up, week after week, to invest in their futures.
On graduation night, they wore their caps and gowns with hard-earned pride. And there were more than a few tears in the room.
At The Store, one of our core values is collaboration. This program embodied that value in the most beautiful way. But the truth is, we could tell hundreds of stories like this—stories of resilience, partnership, and the determination of our customers to build better lives.
Every week at The Store, more than 50 nonprofit partners bring their own expertise alongside ours. Together, we surround our customers with food security and so much more—employment pathways, stable housing, financial literacy, health, and wellness. It’s not just about food—it’s about dignity, stability, and hope.
This is what it looks like when a community comes together.
That’s what one mom told us on graduation night—standing tall in her cap and gown after completing her training as a Registered Behavior Technician. What began as a quest to provide for her child became something much bigger: a journey of self-worth, confidence, and possibility. This is the power of partnership. Through our collaboration with Belmont University, TCAT Nashville, and The Family Wellbeing Program, customers at The Store are gaining more than just groceries—they’re gaining careers, community, and a renewed sense of purpose.
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