We were lucky to catch up with Fran Maynard recently and have shared our conversation below.

Fran , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How has Covid changed your business model?

In 2020 TAK shifted from accepting gently used items and donations to purchasing new items for all the requests coming in. This has actually proven to be helpful as we now ship items such as bunk beds, mattresses, cribls, car seats, pack-n-plays etc. directly to the families in need. This cuts down on delivery time and allows us to work smart and efficiently.

Fran , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello and thank you for having me! I first got involved with Tn. Alliance for kids (TAK) a few years ago while we were fostering our little girl. I got to see first hand our community come alongside and support us when we took in our first child. They went above and beyond any way they could to help. So, for my birthday a few years ago, I wanted to host an event connecting community and their heart for service with a tangible way to reach vulnerable children in our area. I reached out to TAK to find out about their TAK PAK program. TAK PAKS are backpacks filled with essentials and comfort items for children entering foster care. Often times children entering foster care come with nothing and if they are able to grab a few items, sadly sometimes they are thrown in a trash bag. I have now been with TAK for almost 3 years.

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) cannot solicit donations as a government agency and out of a need for tangible support, Tennessee Alliance for Kids (TAK) was established in 2016. The Davidson County DCS Team Leader [at the time], Ann Brooks, met with like-minded community leaders to help them create a nonprofit that supported DCS. TAK began serving the Davidson and Williamson County DCS offices including the Office of Independent Living.

In 2020, TAK expanded to cover the Mid-Cumberland DCS offices [8 counties] and Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes (TBCH).

Through these agencies, when social workers identify critical needs of children, TAK meets those needs through tangible items we call FosterLove. FosterLove items consist of beds, bunk beds, mattresses, pack-n-plays, car seats, cribs, food, etc.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I started working for TAK in March of 2020 just as the entire world was shutting down. While we were adjusting to a new normal, we also had to plan for our yearly Christmas Party for youth in foster care. We did not want to miss an opportunity to love and celebrate these children and families so we decided to pivot from our traditional party to a drive through parade.

This year, TAK partnered with Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Davidson County and the Mid-Cumberland region to host our 3rd annual Very Merry Christmas Parade serving approximately 200 children. It was such a special day celebrating the holiday season by giving back to foster families!

Cars were greeted and celebrated throughout the parades 18 stations, receiving goodies along the way including games, toys, candy canes, stuffed animals, books, art supplies, gift cards, warm cookies, cotton candy, socks, and coats/hats/gloves. At the end each child was gifted a wrapped toy from Santa.

It has been such a great way to spread some holiday cheer to those who are most deserving!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Tn. Alliance for Kids has built its reputation for being a reliable and consistent source for the DCS offices we serve. We often hear that our biggest impact is simply our ability and readiness to respond timely during emergencies. This is especially important as most of the needs requested from us have a 24-48 expected turnaround time.

Contact Info:

• Website: tnallianceforkids.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tennesseeallianceforkids/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TNAllianceForKids
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/33231586/admin/