Why did you become a TNDC supporter?
Chris: Working with local government housing and community development programs, I’ve known about TNDC for years and have always admired its work. What struck me was their client group. TNDC serves the lowest-income population—individuals making $5,000-$20,000 per year. I was also struck by the total belief in supportive services, and this was before anyone else was doing much via “supportive housing.”
What are your personal goals for TNDC?
Chris: We need a sustainable financial plan for the organization in order to continue developing new housing projects, offering supportive services, and keeping rents affordable for our low-income residents. The reality is that tenant income will remain low while TNDC’s expenses rise. At the same time, the availability of public funding for future development projects is uncertain. TNDC is unique among community development corporations because we have generous donors who believe in our mission. However, to remain viable and grow in the future, we are looking to our supporters to increase their annual giving, make multi-year pledges, include TNDC in their estate plans, and bring in new supporters. Internally, we’ve been discussing the need for a capital campaign and I want to see us get going!
Additionally, property management is a challenging area for nonprofit housers like TNDC. Together with Felicia Scruggs-Wright, Director of Property Management, we assess our operations and costs to find ways to make improvements.
Finally, TNDC is a unique and complex organization that requires adequate breadth and depth of experience on its Board to ensure full representation in all program areas. We need to continually recruit new directors who fill the needs of our committees and further our mission.
Other thoughts that you'd like to share?
Chris: The dedication of the Board and staff is incredible. I will always remember attending a board meeting, that was open to the public, and seeing the faces of so many tenants who would likely be homeless were it not for TNDC. I still smile about that and am glad to be part of an organization that is helping to make life truly better for people.