Nashville, TN – The Kharis Foundation recently awarded Progress Inc. a $200,000 grant in support of the agency’s capital campaign. The capital campaign seeks to raise $1million dollars to fund a new building on Progress’s campus at 319 Ezell Pike. More than $860,000 has been raised thus far; Progress aims to break ground on construction of the new building this summer.

The Kharis Foundation’s generous donation to Progress, Inc., a non-profit serving people with disabilities and seniors for more than 45 years, has made a large impact on the realization of adding a new building to the current campus.  “The Kharis Foundation has largely closed the gap for us in terms of making the new building a reality, and we are incredibly grateful for their support,” said Progress Executive Director Donna Goodaker. The planned building will include offices and meeting rooms for employment program initiatives which will enable the organization’s employment and senior divisions to expand and respond to increased need for service.
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The capital campaign was launched in the fall of 2014 in order to address the growing need for more space at the agency’s current location. Progress provides a variety of services to people with disabilities and seniors, including community and respite services, residential support, employment training, social enterprise Smart Supplies and others. The administrative offices at Progress are currently house twice the number of people that the building was originally designed to hold.  The new building will provide a space for growing employment services to people with all types of disabilities.

The Kharis Foundation was established in 2008, but has a long history of service in Middle Tennessee and in the Presbyterian Church, USA. Funds for the Kharis Foundation were established from the sale of Park Manor Retirement Center, which began as a “vision by members of a Sunday School class at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville first to help retired ministers and then to minister to the needs of the area’s elderly citizens. Support for the idea grew and, in 1962, Park Manor Retirement Center was opened as Nashville’s first retirement living community.” Progress is incredibly grateful for the support of the foundation. ​
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The Kharis Foundation is an independent, non-traditional foundation which supports churches and nonprofit organizations in Middle Tennessee and is committed to finding innovative ways to affect positive change.

Nashville, TN – The Frist Foundation recently awarded Progress Inc. a $100,000 grant in support of the agency’s capital campaign. The capital campaign seeks to raise $1 million dollars to fund a new building on Progress’s campus at 319 Ezell Pike. The capital campaign is now more than halfway to goal, with $564,612 raised.

The Frist Foundation’s generous donation to Progress, Inc., a non-profit serving people with disabilities and seniors for more than 43 years, will make a large impact on the realization of adding a new building to the current campus. “The Frist Foundation has been a leader in improving quality of life for Nashvillians. By supporting the capital campaign, they have given an incredible gift to the vulnerable population we serve.” said Progress Executive Director Donna Goodaker. “We are extremely fortunate to have their support, and the Frist Foundation’s commitment to our mission will help us expand services for people with disabilities and seniors, specifically employment training, which will be housed in the new building.”

"Progress Inc. has done a great job over the years of serving its clients, but it has also served as an example to other organizations of how to change with the times," said Pete Bird, president of The Frist Foundation.  "With a little more space, the agency can provide a lot more service with greater efficiency. That's something that we're pleased to invest in."

The capital campaign was launched in the fall of 2014 in order to address the growing need for more space at the agency’s current location. Progress provides a variety of services to people with disabilities and seniors, including a day program, respite services, residential support, supported employment, social enterprise Smart Supplies and others. The administrative offices at Progress are currently housing twice the number of people that the building was originally designed to hold.  The new building will also provide a space for the Ticket to Work Employment Network program, which will provide employment services to people with all types of disabilities.

Established in 1982, The Frist Foundation is dedicated to sustaining and improving the quality of life in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2015, the Foundation continues a special focus on agencies serving vulnerable people, and in supporting efforts by nonprofit organizations to develop new sources of earned revenue and improve their managerial and technological infrastructure. Progress is incredibly grateful for the support of the foundation.