Our Story

…pastors from seven churches of differing denominations began to meet for coffee and conversation. The discussion centered on the ways they were each supporting community members seeking help for food and utilities. These meetings culminated in a decision to create a collaborative community help center, allowing them to work together to better serve those in need of assistance.

In November of 1982, the first community-wide Thanksgiving worship was held at St. Stephen’s Church.  The collection from this worship was designated as the initial funding for the new community help center. On March 6, 1983, by-laws were adopted with the name of The Community Help Center of West Wilson County. The chartering churches were:  Celebration Lutheran, Cloyd’s Cumberland Presbyterian, The Cross, Faith Presbyterian, St. Paul’s United Methodist (now Grace United Methodist), St. Stephen Catholic Community, and Suggs Creek Cumberland Presbyterian. The service area was established as west Wilson County from the area between the Davidson County line and Highway 109.

Space for the Center was found in the strip mall on the other side of Mt. Juliet Road from what is now Charlie Daniels Parkway. Beginning in the summer of 1983, the shelves were stocked and volunteers recruited to begin serving those in need in west Wilson County. Groceries were supplied based on the size of the family – like today – and utility assistance and free clothing were also available.

Since that time, the Mt. Juliet Help Center has been located in several different places around north Mt. Juliet. In 2007, Celebration Lutheran Church generously allowed a doublewide trailer and a parking lot to be constructed on land the church owned. As the community and the space needed to operate the Help Center both grew – and after years of dreaming, planning, and saving – construction began on a permanent facility on the same plot of land that Celebration had since deeded over to the nonprofit, and the ribbon cutting for the current facility was held in 2014. In order to keep up with the population explosion in Wilson County and the related increase in need and services, an expansion was opened in 2023, 40 years after those seven pastors dreamed of a better way to serve the community.

As long as the need is here in our community, the Mt. Juliet Help Center will be here to lend a hand. With the generous support of local individuals, churches, the United Way, and both Wilson County and Mt. Juliet City governments, the Mt. Juliet Help Center will continue to provide food, hygiene, utility, and clothing assistance to the people of west Wilson County.