The Contributor

08/17/2026

08/13/2026

We’re cookin’ up some really cool stuff in preparation for the Rock Steady show!

There’s only TEN DAYS left until it’s time to rock out! We hope you join us for a night to remember celebrating all things rock music and arts and culture in Nashville!

Follow the link in our bio for tickets and read more about the event in the latest issue of the paper! And thanks to Johnny from Dreamhouse for this stellar timelapse!

08/12/2026

Welcome back to Why We Do It Wednesday! This week we are proud to feature one of our Housing Stability Guides, Carli Tharp!

Carli started as an intern with the Contributor during undergrad and continued to grow alongside our team. Carli is compassionate, loving, and creative — often going above and beyond to support clients. As a housing stability guide, Carli meets clients who have recently been housed and works to connect them to community resources to thrive both personally and professionally. Carli also helps oversee the SNAP (food stamps) application process for our vendors.

When asked what makes them passionate about this work and keeps them going, Carli shared:

“My calling from God is to work toward a more equitable world where everyone’s needs are met without barriers, paywalls, or conditions. Everyone deserves enough to eat. Every person needs and deserves shelter, water, and healthcare. Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness. I dream and work toward a world where no need is left unmet.”

Here’s to Carli, whose dedication to this work inspires us all!

08/11/2026

Welcome back to Meet the Vendor Monday! Today’s feature is our dynamic duo, Katie & Matt!

Katie & Matt are a joy! For those who have seen them vending on 5th & Spring, you likely know them for their big, homemade Contributor sun hats!

Katie & Matt not only sell the paper together, they also got married at a paper release breakfast, complete with a meal they helped prepare themselves. For these two, The Contributor is family, and we were honored to celebrate alongside them.

When they are not vending, you can find them creating cook books and coloring books for the UnZine program, making delicious meals at home ranging from game day snacks to Italian feasts, and planning for their futures, in which Katie wants to attend culinary school and Matt wants to own and operate a landscaping business.

Drop your favorite Katie & Matt stories below, and say hey next time you see their smiling faces!

08/10/2026

Huge thanks to Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for championing our vision with a Community Impact Grant. Their support is powering our mission to empower our unhoused neighbors to achieve income, dignity, housing, creative opportunities, and access to community resources. With their help, CFMT is equipping us build a stronger and more inclusive community. Proud to be a .

08/05/2026

Welcome back to Why We Do It Wednesday! We are so pleased to introduce you to Ree Cheers, our Director of Program Operations!

In this role, Ree oversees the work of our housing and SOAR teams, leading them to successfully support their clients and lead them toward long-term stability. Ree is a gifted leader, artist, musician, and wordsmith! When asked about why this work matters to her, Ree shared:

“The work I do at The Contributor is deeply personal. It is more than a profession...it is my purpose. Having lived through homelessness myself, I understand what it feels like to be unseen, unheard, and unsupported. I know the uncertainty of wondering where the next opportunity will come from, the frustration of navigating systems that often seem impossible to access, and the pain of feeling like your voice no longer matters.
 
That lived experience is what fuels my commitment every single day.
 
As Director of Program Operations, I am passionate about creating pathways that restore hope, dignity, and opportunity. I believe every person deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of where they are in life. Housing is important, but true transformation begins when people experience belonging, compassion, and someone who is willing to stand beside them.”

Here’s to Ree, who empowers our team to do this hard work with passion and fidelity!

08/03/2026

Welcome back to Meet the Vendor Monday! Today’s feature is none other than Lashika!

This style icon is known for her sunny smile and friendly attitude. Lashika is always positive, even in the midst of turmoil. She truly believes in the goodness of people and that all people deserve respect and care, regardless of what they are going through.

It would be easy to shut yourself off once you get safely housed, but Lashika did the opposite! Once getting securely housed and working with our housing team to get moved into her new place, Lashika immediately began looking for ways to reach out and support her neighbors. You can often find her at Centennial Park feeding hot, home-cooked meals to anyone who needs one. Meals that she funds, makes, and transports entirely on her own. In Lashika’s words, “everyone’s got to eat,” and she’s going to make sure that happens.

When she’s not feeding the people, Lashika sells the paper on 31st Ave. N. We are so grateful for Lashika’s positive presence and giving spirit. Drop your favorite Lashika stories below!

07/29/2026

Welcome back to Why We Do It Wednesday! This week, we are featuring our Program Operations Lead, Andrew!

Andrew is often the first face our clients see. As the primary coordinator for the SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) program, Andrew partners with local hospitals to meet unhoused individuals whose primary option for healthcare is the emergency room. Andrew walks with these clients, as well as our vendors, as they navigate the confusing and often frustrating process of applying for and getting approved for benefits.

Andrew is truly a force to be reckoned with when it comes to advocacy. He is undaunted by complicated systems which too often prioritize paperwork over people. He is passionate about building genuine connections with clients. He is also a powerful leader whose guidance empowers the rest of our service providers to meet clients needs.

When asked about his love for this work, Andrew shared,

“What makes me passionate about this work is knowing that every day brings a chance to support someone, sometimes through small moments of encouragement, and sometimes in ways that truly change the direction of their life.”

Here’s to Andrew, whose grounded energy and steadfast commitment inspires us all!

07/29/2026

We had the best time hanging out with the youth group from First Presbyterian Franklin,TN today during their Mission Week!

This engaged group of students learned all about the process of making a zine from one of our talented zine artists, Dennis, and they even got to try it out for themselves!

Afterward, they embarked on a tour of our vendor office to see what this work is like from the inside, then took an Unseen Walking Tour with our illustrious tour guide and vendor leader, Keith!

If you’re interested in bringing your group for a tour or workshop with us, follow the link in our bio to schedule today or reach out to our Community Engagement & Gratitude Officer, Lindsey, by emailing [email protected] to learn more!

07/27/2026

Welcome to our first official Meet the Vendor Monday! Every Monday we’ll be featuring one of our hard-working and fun-loving vendors so you can get to know them a little better!

We’re starting off with a celebration of our friend, long-time vendor, and small business owner, Maurice!

Maurice started vending with us in 2016, and over the past ten years, he has become a staple at his vending spot, Charlotte & 46th! Maurice can often be found with a smile and speaker pumping music. He is a natural leader whose voice is respected on our Vendor Leadership Team, a talented writer and zine-maker for The Contributor, and he has an entrepreneurial spirit which empowered him to start his own fragrance business, Da-Diamond-N-Da-Rut Frangrances.

We are so grateful to have Maurice on our team! Drop your favorite Maurice moments and memories below, and look for him at upcoming maker markets around town!