October 12-18, 2018, Vol. 11, Issue 41 The Memphis Grantmakers Forum joins forces with Delivery-only eatery Camy's has a new owner, but the Momentum Nonprofit Partners. P. 3 menu and the recipes will stay the same. P. 6 FORMERLY THE MEMPHIS NEWS FAYETTE • TIPTON • MADISON A beekeeper checks the health of a hive during the honey harvest by Thistle & Bee clients and volunteers at St. Columba Episcopal Conference Center in Bartlett. (Jim Weber/The West Tennessee News) BEE THERAPY Nonprofit Thistle & Bee helps human-trafficking victims through beekeeping P. 2 MCIL SETTLES LAST LEG OF I-269 INTO NEW HOME NEARS OPENING The Memphis Center for DeSoto County's last section Independent Living relocates of Interstate 269 is expected headquarters to East to drive economic growth in Memphis' Clark Tower. P. 3 North Mississippi. P. 7 A Publication of The Daily News Publishing Co. 2 October 12-18, 2018 The West Tennessee News Thistle & Bee helps human-trafficking victims rebuild through beekeeping Honey and products made with honey harvested by Thistle & Bee clients and volunteers are sold through partner organizations in the Memphis area. (Jim Weber/The West Tennessee News) One of the things I love to see is one of our beekeeper’s ... transformation when she is out in the field. She connects in a way that is pretty magical, and Thistle & Bee volunteer Madge Deacon (left) compares the honey under production to the last harvest at St. Columba Episcopal Conference it’s pretty magical to see how Center in Bartlett. (Jim Weber/The West Tennessee News) far she’s come in that time and “her connection to the bees.” –Jordan Boss, Executive director of Thistle & Bee NATALIE MARTIN The West Tennessee News When most people think of bees, they may think of honey, beeswax and maybe Memphis that currently host Thistle & even the cute little character on a box of Bee’s beehives, and, as of May, the orga- Honey Nut Cheerios. Not Jordan Boss. nization partnered with Baptist Memo- She sees bees as a way to help those rial Hospital-Collierville, setting up four in need of therapeutic peace. Boss is ex- beehives on the hospital’s 75-acre campus. ecutive director of Thistle & Bee, a non- Boss said the partnership with Bap- profit organization that helps women tist-Collierville sparked interest in the who have escaped human trafficking and organization and its story. prostitution. “It’s been great working with Baptist- Established in January 2016, Boss’ Collierville,” Boss said. “They’ve been group helps victims gain skills and expe- wonderful partners to us. What I think rience through a two-part program con- is thrilling though is that they picked sisting of a clinical side, which is recovery, a space that’s very visible and have peer counseling, one-on-one counseling put up a little sign that tells about our and case management and a social enter- partnership.” prise side centered on the keeping of bees Labels are affixed to jars during the honey harvest by Thistle & Bee clients and volunteers Lindsay Stencel, chief administrative and the manufacture and sale of products at St. Columba Episcopal Conference Center in Bartlett. (Jim Weber/The West Tennessee News) officer at Baptist-Collierville, said the made from the honey produced. hospital partnered with Thistle & Bee be- Since starting the two-part program cause they have a great holistic approach in June 2017, Boss said the organization to helping heal the victims. has worked with nine women. Watching part of nature.” “Within a beehive, each bee has their “When Thistle & Bee came to Baptist them work with the bees has been “amaz- Boss said the women experiencing own job,” Boss said. “Primarily within the Collierville and asked us to partner with ing” because of the “pure love,” she said. nature and having a moment to breathe beehive, it’s made up of ladies, so there them, we really felt like their mission “The idea of love is something not too while beekeeping is also beneficial. are very few men that are in a beehive, aligned with us,” Stencel said. “Beekeep- familiar with the women that we serve, “One of the things I love to see is one but everyone in the bee community has ing was something they were doing, so and the idea that there can be a relation- of our beekeeper’s – who has been with a purpose and they have a job to support we felt like that was something definitely ship where there’s no expectation,” Boss us since the program started – transfor- each other to protect the queen and make worthwhile to get involved with.” said. “Women who are coming off of the mation when she is out in the field,” Boss sure everyone in their community thrives. Stencel said the beekeeping is “defi- streets see the exchange of a relationship said. “She connects in a way that is pretty “We see some similarity in the work nitely” something that is helping heal the as ‘I’m going to give you money, and you’re magical, and it’s pretty magical to see how we’re doing. We are a community of wom- women by being able to provide for them- going to give me your body.’ So watching far she’s come in that time and her connec- en and men who each have their differ- selves financially and having an outlet for them with the bees, there’s nothing there tion to the bees.” ent job they are doing to help support the self-worth. other than they get to care for an actual Boss said the community of Thistle women who are serving through Thistle “We actually sell their honey and their creature and in return they get the feel- & Bee is similar to the community of a & Bee.” granola in our giftshop here at Baptist- ing of being part of something that’s a beehive. Boss said there are 11 locations in Collierville,” Stencel said. The West Tennessee News October 12-18, 2018 3 Memphis Grantmakers Forum joins Momentum Nonprofit Partners TOM BAILEY that vision.” of the nonprofit community, the oppor- mission is to promote responsible and The West Tennessee News The 18-year-old Grantmakers’ net- tunity to explore new strategies, and sustainable philanthropy. A Memphis network of 30-plus or- work offers foundations, corporations continuing to hone their own knowledge Momentum Nonprofit Partners has ganizations and companies that collec- and other grant-makers that give at least and expertise around the deep-rooted among its 11 staff members the expertise tively give more than $380 million yearly $25,000 annually a venue for networking, systemic challenges that our community to help the forum achieve its goals, Dean in charitable grants has joined with a learning about community needs, mak- faces,” Sutton Mora Hayes, executive vice said. He noted Carol Gaudino, Momen- network of 800 Memphis nonprofits that ing their grants more effective and im- president and chief operating officer for tum’s training and consulting manager, receive such grants. proving their grant-making procedures. the Community Foundation, said in a was active with the Memphis Grantmak- Memphis Grantmakers Forum has Momentum Nonprofit Partners, for- prepared statement. ers Forum when she worked for one of its become a program of Momentum Non- merly called Alliance for Nonprofit Ex- The nonprofit and grant-giving rep- members, Baptist Memorial Health Care. profit Partners, headquartered at 630 S. cellence, has increased its membership resentatives will share space at 630 S. The Memphis Grantmakers Foun- Cooper St. from about 200 to 800 nonprofit mem- Cooper for training, meetings and other dation website shows that its 2017-18 The merger is designed to help both bers since restructuring, rebranding reasons, but there will be rules about members include: Arts Memphis, Assisi the money-givers and money users and moving to Midtown last year. The confidentiality and solicitations. Foundation, AutoZone, Bank of Ameri- more effectively address the needs in organization created new programming “We promise a safe and neutral space ca, Baptist Memorial Health Care, Belz Memphis. and added staff members. for our grantmaking members,” Dean Family Foundation, Buckman, Chil- “Adding Grantmakers to our mem- With the addition of the Grantmak- told Momentum members in a letter. dren’s Foundation, Community Foun- bership roster was a logical next step,” ers Forum, Momentum is now a one-stop “Momentum Nonprofit Partners will dation of Memphis, Duncan-Williams Kevin Dean, Momentum Nonprofit Part- resource for both philanthropic and non- serve as a ‘no solicitation zone’ when we Inc., FedEx, First TN Foundation, Grace ners chief executive, said in a prepared profit organizations in Memphis. bring our grantmaking and nonprofit Foundation, Greater Memphis Chamber, statement. Momentum Nonprofit Part- The Grantmakers Forum has had members together,” he wrote. “Just like Grizzlies Foundation, Hohenberg Family ners, traditionally, has provided support, no employees. Caissa Public Strategies nonprofit staff, grantmakers will enjoy Foundation, Hope Christian Community training and professional development had been facilitating the forum, and a space where they can focus on profes- Foundation, Hyde Family Foundation, only for nonprofit organizations. the Community Foundation of Greater sional development and roundtable dis- Irvin Lansky Foundation, Jewish Foun- “We envision a community where Memphis served as the network’s fiscal cussions about sector-wide issues free dation of Memphis, Kemmons Wilson government, nonprofit, philanthropy, agent. Caissa and the Community Foun- from distraction. Family Foundation, Kroger, Lipscomb and business come together to address dation did research that led to merging "Just as we will maintain your con- & Pitts, Methodist Healthcare Founda- the systemic challenges of the Mid- the organization with Momentum Non- fidentiality, we will also maintain our tion, Plough Foundation, Poplar Foun- South region in a collaborative and au- profit Partners.