On May 17, the Nashville Predators Foundation, empowered by the Smile Direct Club, awarded His Children Foundation a grant for $3,200. 

His Children Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides customized duffel bags for children who come into foster care without proper suitcases or bags, and acts as a general resource for local foster care homes needing help with outings, photography, Christmas, and educational materials. It was started in July 2021 by Jessica and Tyler Brown of Cottontown, TN. 

Jessica and Tyler were inspired to create this foundation because of Tyler’s mother's experience with foster children. “My mother in law runs a group home in North Carolina, and we heard the stories. We couldn’t just stand by and let these kids have nothing to put their clothes in or tote around trash bags,” Jessica said. “We started off by buying three children’s suitcases. That was a very big expense.”

The self proclaimed introverts say they “ran from God’s call for a little while” wanting to do more for these foster children, but feeling as though they were not prepared to do so. 

“His ways will always be done. He laid it on our hearts to do duffel bags, a little less expensive but still large enough to pack lots of things. We started with six children from (Tyler’s mother’s) (foster) home and now we have made 200+ bags,” said Jessica. 

Prior to the grant, His Children’s Foundation was primarily funded through fundraisers and personal donations from the Brown family and local businesses. “Our grant was just perfect timing. We are having a fundraiser in July and were looking for places to donate to our silent auction. We saw that The Nashville Predators does grants, and we decided to apply,” said Jessica.

“I wasn’t expecting to receive anything, but we saw our name on the list of grant recipients and could not have been more shocked,” she continued. 

The grant money will go towards the direct costs of purchasing the duffle bags, bibles, and gift cards that each foster child receives. 

His Children Foundation plans to continue to fundraise more this year for their cause. They will be at the White House Farmers Market each Wednesday selling car wash tickets donated by Title Wave, and will host their second annual silent auction fundraiser on July 29 at The Robertson Room.