Nashville is a thriving city, with 21% population growth and more than 30% job growth over the past decade. This remarkable expansion is one of the many reasons we chose to grow our national footprint with a Nashville office. Like many rapidly growing cities, however, Nashville faces challenges—particularly the rising cost of living.  

While the city’s economic energy is undeniable, many residents continue to work in lower-wage jobs. In Davidson County alone, more than 200,000 workers earn less than a living wage. As a result, a significant number of Nashvillians struggle to maintain safe and reliable access to food and housing, face barriers to educational advancement for themselves and their families, and experience poorer health outcomes. The impact of poverty is generational, with 40% of children born into poverty living in poverty as adults.  

In 2017, a group of Nashvillians looked at this scenario and asked themselves, “Instead of helping people in poverty, how do we help people get out of poverty?” Their answer was UpRise, a nonprofit that exists to alleviate poverty by providing help, hope, and opportunity. 

The MJ Foundation recently named this impactful organization its 2025-2027 Tennessee Charity of Choice, signaling a commitment in financial support, Days of Service with MJ associates, and communication spotlights. Organizations like UpRise make us proud to have expanded to Nashville—a city where we can contribute to growth and opportunity at both the company and community level.

By providing free tailored support and short-term education certifications that target skills required by Nashville employers and offering a comprehensive support system to program participants, UpRise has helped over 360 people increase their income 150% in their first job post-graduation.  

From day one, UpRise empowers and preserves the dignity of participants, referring to them as Leaders. The first step Leaders take in the program is a barrier assessment that the organization uses to tailor a holistic and individualized path out of poverty. Each Leader is paired with a career coach who provides the resources and guidance they need to alleviate the barriers identified through the assessment.  

Leaders attend a five-week training camp, where they learn core workplace competencies, such as time management, conflict resolution, and digital literacy. The training camp also targets personal development, offering lessons in healthy boundaries and managing personal budgets.  

Once Leaders have successfully finished training camp, they attend one of various Nashville institutions to obtain valuable, free certifications. Whether it is a path in health care as a medical assistant or a trades apprenticeship in HVAC, all the certifications offered have been chosen to meet Nashville employer demands and increase upward mobility. 

Throughout the duration of the program, Leaders and their families attend monthly family dinners, where they create a supportive and encouraging network of peers and reflect on the experiences they are undergoing together. 

As each Leader nears the end of the program, they work with career coaches to find job placement. UpRise works alongside community-minded Employer Partners who are hiring and cultivating historically overlooked talent pools to provide an environment where Leaders can grow their skills and experience. The results are undeniable.  

At MJ, we’re data-driven, and the numbers from UpRise tell an inspiring story. We see a $26,217 salary increase for Leaders, a 57% decrease in their need for food stamps, and $7.75 returned to society for every $1 invested in the program through increased tax revenue and reduced reliance on public assistant programs like unemployment, substance abuse programs, and healthcare subsidies. But we also know numbers tell only part of the story. The numbers above show transformation in action: the relief of single parents sustainably providing for their children, the dreams people dare to have after being told they couldn’t, and the doors that open for others when they reach their goals.

Behind the numbers are Leaders like LaJonda, a single mother of four who was exhausted from long hours and barely making ends meet as a hair braider. On her first day at training camp, she told the group, “I want more—for me and for my family.” Motivated by a lifelong dream to become a nurse, she joined the Clinical Medical Assistant track, made the Dean’s List, and passed her certification exam on the first try. This year, LaJonda stood before UpRise’s largest class ever to encourage them—now as a Clinical Medical Assistant at Ascension Saint Thomas.

You can support UpRise and help people break out of the cycle of poverty in multiple ways:

Everything we do through the MJ Foundation aligns with our four pillars: overcoming poverty, fostering diversity, advancing education, and embracing humanity. We recognize that these are not isolated objectives, and that tackling one often means tackling the others for the betterment of the communities we call home. We are proud to support UpRise as a living example of transformation through action and are inspired by their commitment to uplift some of the most marginalized groups in Nashville out of poverty through education and hope. Join us as we highlight this impactful organization.