Everyone Deserves a Place to Belong: Friends Life Community

Speaker Friday, November 22, 2024

Belonging is fundamental to human well-being, yet adults with developmental disabilities often face profound isolation. On November 22, 2024, at 7:15 am, join us for an important conversation with Waverly Ann Harris, President and CEO of Friends Life Community, about creating genuine connections and opportunities for this vital part of our community.

For 16 years, Friends Life Community has been transforming lives from their Green Hills location, addressing a critical need – an estimated 2.3% of our population faces isolation and struggles to find meaningful inclusion. Under Harris’s visionary leadership since 2011, the organization has grown from serving 12 individuals with four staff members to supporting over 100 program participants and their families in the past year alone.

Harris brings rich experience in nonprofit management, having worked across multiple states and internationally. This diverse background shapes her collaborative approach to problem-solving and systems thinking, driving innovative programs in arts, education, and employment that create pathways to belonging and purpose.

Don’t miss this opportunity to:

• Learn about innovative programming that’s changing lives
• Understand the challenges facing adults with developmental disabilities
• Discover how you can contribute to building a more inclusive Nashville

Harris’s passion for increasing opportunities and fostering community across all settings has made Friends Life Community a beacon of hope and inclusion. Join us for this vital conversation about creating a Nashville where everyone truly belongs. For more information goto https://friendslife.org/.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about Goodwill’s innovative approaches to workforce development and community support from this accomplished leader. For more information goto giveit2goodwill.org

10/24/25	Hannah Alexander Social Security
10/31/25	Senior Director of Sustainability and Resilience — Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities – How is Nashville on the list
11/7/25	Norah Buikstra, Green Hills Mall GM & Chair of the GH Alliance
11/14/25	Mark Fenelon, Owner, Mossy Ridge Construction — Reduce Energy Usage by 90% with a Passive Home, A New Trend in Building
11/21/25	Jamie Maresca — Shalom Hospice Volunteering: What Can I Offer to Others?
11/28/25	Have a Blessed Thanksgiving — no meeting
12/12/25	Robert Johnson, CEO Mid Tn Scouts
12/19/25	Wlliam Kenneth Teets, Director Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory
12/26/25	Have a Blessed Holiday — no meeting