WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Development Companies (NADCO) concluded its 2019 Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN last week. Part of their conference this year featured a toothbrush drive for Room In The Inn, a homeless shelter located in downtown Nashville. NADCO teamed up with the Marriott Renaissance Hotel that matched the number of toothbrushes NADCO collected. Combined, 950 toothbrushes and accessories were donated to Room In The Inn.
Each year NADCO's staff and their members travel to a city in the United States to host and attend NADCO's Annual Meeting. NADCO and the CDC industry values community development and looks for ways to assist every community the SBA 504 loan industry touches.
"One of the best parts about the 504 industry is how much all the CDCs value community development," said Julia Peacock, Marketing and Communications Manager. "I am a newer member of the NADCO team but instantly, I could tell community was a clear and important value. Adding a community service element to our Annual Meeting just made perfect sense. Most members who attended traveled to Nashville, so packing an extra toothbrush was easy and convenient, but carries a lasting impact on the homeless population."
According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, as of January 2019, Tennessee had an estimated 7,883 homeless people. Homeless populations tend to increase in areas where the cost of living is becoming unaffordable.
"For someone struggling with homelessness, small acts of hospitality have a big impact," said Melanie Barnett, Community Development Director at Room In The Inn. "It may seem like a simple gesture but providing hygiene items like toothbrushes or toothpaste are helping to provide dignity for the individual."
NADCO plans to incorporate a community service element to all their Annual Meetings going forward.
ABOUT Room In The Inn
Room In The Inn began in 1985 with the mission to shelter those seeking shelter. In 1995 Room In The Inn opened a downtown campus to offer emergency services, transitional programs, and long-term solutions to help people rebuild their lives.
ABOUT NADCO
The National Association of Development Companies (NADCO) is the trade association of Certified Development Companies (CDCs) - nonprofit companies that have been certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide financing for small businesses under the SBA 504 Program. NADCO represents nearly 210 CDCs, serving all 50 states. In FY2018, the SBA approved nearly 6,000 504 loans totaling $4.8 billion. These loans created and retained more than 55,000 jobs nationwide.
SOURCE National Association of Development Companies (NADCO)
