One of the most important agencies that has been of great assistance to Nashville’s unhoused community is the Nashville Rescue Mission. Recently it was announced that its CEO, Brother Glenn Cranfield, is retiring later this year after 14 years of service to the Nashville Rescue Mission.
When I first was associated with the Mission they were at their former location at 129 7th Av. S. near the former Greyhound Bus Station.
Under the direction of long-time director and CEO Brother Carl Resener, the Mission has grown and expanded to the facility it is today in the former Sears building on Lafayette Street.
In the 1950s when the Mission was founded, most homeless were branded “low bottom” or “hobos” and “tramps.” The Nashville Union Rescue Mission was the only place of refuge for Nashville’s unhoused population and many survived in “hobo camps” and primitive shacks dotted all over Nashville. In addition to providing food, clothing and overnight shelter the Rescue Mission also provided detox facilities and a very successful Men’s program for drug and alcohol rehabilitation as well as a farm, “Mission Acres” in Pleasant View, Tenn. for longer term rehabilitation of the total man.
The spiritual aspect of the Nashville Rescue Mission is unique in that once the physical needs are met, the soul begins to be fed and folks become more receptive to receiving the gospel message. I can speak from my own personal experience with the mission that many folks would have starved to death or died from exposure. Brother Resener and his men went out on the “cold patrol” seeking to bring people in out of the weather. This was many years before the Room in the Inn or Metro Homeless Services were even in existence.
Rev. Don Worrell, former Vice President of the Nashville Rescue Mission was the very first person to purchase a subscription to The Contributor at the paper’s infancy. To Brother Worrell, I will always be grateful for his help and support.
So, whenever you hear the name Nashville Rescue Mission mentioned, remember the words of many of Nashville’s pastors and preachers, “A mighty work is being done down at the Union Mission.”