This year, at our 2026 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, we set aside a day to celebrate exactly those people: the volunteers whose time, heart, and energy make everything we do possible.
We were proud to recognize the following individuals and partners for their extraordinary contributions to our organization and the older adults we serve:
- National Charity League, Inc. Greater Nashville Chapter – World Traveler Award
- Mary Ellen Blauman – Friends “Superstar” Award
- Noah Raper, Fresh/MOW Driver – FiftyForward Caring Heart Award
- Nashville Sounds – Best New Community Partner
- Aetna – Outstanding Community Partner
Legacy Awards:
- Barry Coggins (30+ years with Fresh/MOW) – FiftyForward Fresh Legacy Award
- Eliza Eules (30 years with AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program) – FiftyForward Foster Grandparents Program Legacy Award
The Impact, by the Numbers
On average, 1,200 volunteers serve with us each year, and so far this fiscal year alone, they contributed a combined 41,478 hours of service.
The impact these volunteers made this year is staggering: nearly 30,000 meals delivered through FiftyForward Fresh (with drivers covering roughly 20,000 miles), more than 20,000 Foster Grandparent hours serving 150 students, 1,000 holiday meals delivered on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and hundreds of free or low-cost programs across our 7 centers.
Statistics tell part of the story, but they can’t capture the whole of it. Behind those numbers are real moments: a warm meal handed across the threshold of a door. A hand held in a classroom. A friendly face that turns an ordinary day into a connected one.
That’s the work our volunteers do — often quietly, often without recognition — and it’s the reason FiftyForward is able to support, champion, and enhance life for those 50 and older across Middle Tennessee.
Join Us
To every volunteer who gives of themselves so that others can live life to the fullest: thank you. You are the people we can’t operate without.
If you’d like to be part of that story, we’d love to have you. Learn how you can get involved at fiftyforward.org/volunteer, or call 615-743-3400 today.
