Fannie Battle Day Home’s board of directors announced that they have appointed Kristie P. Ryan, CFRE, as Executive Director. She will take helm of the model childcare organization dedicated to providing accessible and affordable high-quality early education.

“The board is very excited to welcome Kristie to our Fannie Battle family and feel that her experience, leadership, and passion are ideal to lead us into the next chapter of our organization,” Solvig Gentile, board president, said.

Ryan has served nearly 30 years in non-profit development and management, garnering a depth of knowledge across her profession. Her experience ranges from community-based social service agencies, local and national health-related organizations, and her sorority’s foundation. She follows the Day Home’s previous Executive Director, Melanie Shinbaum, who left the organization in November for a new professional challenge as Chief Executive Officer of St. Luke’s Community House.

“I am so honored to have been selected as the Executive Director of Fannie Battle Day Home,” said Ryan. “Fannie Battle’s long and revered reputation in the Nashville community is a tribute to everyone who has played a role in its history to ensure that families have access to high-quality, affordable care.”

Ryan was awarded the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential in 1999 and has continuously maintained the designation since. Additionally, she received a non-profit management certificate from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.  She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), where she has served in various roles including Nashville Chapter President.  She greatly values her own involvement as a volunteer with various Nashville area organizations having previously served with Nurses for Newborns, Boy Scouts – Troop 86, Faith Family Medical Clinic, Hillcrest UMC, and Brentwood High School, to name a few. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Middle Tennessee State University.

It has now been over two weeks since we saw you and your children; we want you to know that we miss you and look forward to your return. We thought we would share some updates on what everyone here at Fannie Battle has been up to while we have been away:

• Staff: Although we were not able to have our staff in-service day on March 27th, our teachers have been busy completing training requirements through online training opportunities Ms. Tara and Ms. Stacie have been in constant communication with teachers to help with these training, as well as get their feedback.
• Program & Business: Ms. Stacie has continued working through all of the day-to-day business matters that occur even through closure.
• Development & Grants: Ms. Melissa has been working with the development committee to create and implement an altered fundraising plan to help generate additional income, as well as Ms. Katherine who is staying-up-to-date on newly released grant opportunities for us to request funds for lost income during this time.
• Board Leadership: Our board of directors and committees continue to meet via Zoom to ensure smooth operation and plan for days ahead.

  Please feel free to reach out to Stacie at any time for questions, comments, concerns. Best wishes; stay safe and be healthy.

Financial Aid – TN Dept of Human Services

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is making essential financial resources available to families that have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 emergency.  Beginning 10 A.M. CST Thursday, March 26, families can begin applying, online, for up to two months of emergency cash assistance if they were employed as of March 11, 2020 and they’ve lost employment or at least 50% of their earned income as a result of the pandemic.

Visit TN DEPARTMENT HUMAN SERVICES for the application and more info.

COVID-19 Response Fund (United Way of Greater Nashville)

COVID-19 continues to impact our entire region. Our hearts go out to those who have lost their jobs, seen reductions in hours or are experiencing loss of income due to closed establishments or canceled events. Here are SOME RESOURCES that are available right now.

CARES Act( (Federal Coronavirus Aid Package, passed Friday, March 27, 2020)

* Direct payment of $1,200 to individuals, $2,400 for married couples, plus an additional $500 per child. Payments available to individuals with an income of up to $75,000 and $150,000 for married couples.
* Provides $250 billion for an extended unemployment insurance program and expands eligibility and offers workers and additional $600 per week for four months, on top of what state programs pay.
* All testing and potential vaccines for COVID-19 will be covered at no cost to patients.

These are definitely concerning and overwhelming times for all of us, especially following the recent devastation left by the tornado.

Given recent recommendations by our Governor, the CDC, and Metro Health Department, and to ensure our staff and families’ health and well-being, our board has elected to close our center effective Wednesday, March 18th through Friday March 27th.

UPDATE 3/26/2020: In a continued effort to ensure everyone’s safety and health, we will remain closed until Friday, April 3rd. 

UPDATE 4/2/2020: We will remain closed until Friday, April 10th.

UPDATE 4/9/2020: We will remain closed until Friday, April 17th.

UPDATE 5/8/2020: We will remain closed until Friday, May 15th.

Hello, friends. Much has happened in our community and we wanted to give you an update on where we’re at with Yum!East 2020. After talking with a few of our participants, they felt it best for the community to have this party.

“East-siders are a tough little tribe and will remind everyone what ‘normal feels like.”
“Everyone is looking for ways to support the community…I think it would be a way to get together and have fun.”

To our Fannie Battle families:

Our administration and board want to assure you that we have the health of our children, families, and staff is of the utmost importance in our policies and daily practices. Please refer to our family handbook, page 17, to review guidelines regarding children who have symptoms of illness. At our center, our guidelines regarding healthy safety extend to daily routines, such as meal service, diapering and toileting, and cleaning and sanitizing classroom furnishings and materials.

From December 8th to December 14th Donut Distillery will be offering a special Christmas Fannie Pack of mini donuts and donating $5 back to Fannie Battle for every pack purchased. Packs retail for $20.

These packs will be filled with 5 different flavors: strawberry, powdered sugar, chocolate with snowflakes, chocolate with festive sprinkles, and vanilla with green sprinkles. These packs are great for gifts for clients, teachers, friends, family, and holiday parties.

Have a large catering order? Donut Distillery will be donating a portion of proceeds back to Fannie Battle, as well!

Visit Donut Distillery at 311 Gallatin Ave. Nashville, TN 37206. For hours and other questions, visit their website at donutdistillery.com 

Come celebrate 103 years of Caroling for Kids at this family and pet-friendly event, benefiting Fannie Battle Day Home.

East Nashville Beer Works has an amazing menu with tasty appetizers, delicious pizza, and fresh salads. There are non-alcoholic drink options for the whole family. (And wine and cider for those non-beer drinkers).

Fannie Battle board member, and parent, Curtis will bring his guitar and hopes you will join him in a fun – and definitely hilarious – round of carols from 3p – 3:30p.

If you can’t make it during our gathering stop in the brewery any time as 15% of proceeds from the entire day will be generously donated to our center.

I had a great time at our 3rd Caroling Open House last week catching up with many of our long-time volunteers, members, and past board members.

We are all really proud of how far Fannie Battle has come and it was a real honor being able to connect with such amazing and passionate people who really helped build many foundations (literally and figuratively) that we continue to stand on today.

The biggest hit, though, Mrs. Aubree’s Holiday Popcorn. I asked her if I could share the recipe and she was more than thrilled to do so (she did want me to add that it is pretty much the easiest thing to make so you shouldn’t have any troubles re-creating this masterpiece).

• 3 bags of popcorn
• 1 bag of white Ghiradelli melts (they also have many other colors so have fun with it)
• Holiday-colored sprinkles
• 1 bag of holiday M&Ms
• 1 large bowl

Pop the popcorn and put in the large bowl, melt the bag of chocolate and drizzle on the popcorn, shower the popcorn with as many sprinkles as you’d like, and drop the bag of M&M’s into the bowl. Viola!

Feel free to share your pics making and devouring this delicious treat as I know Mrs. Aubree would be tickled red and green.

– Melissa