"We are proud to partner with SmileDirectClub and provide Café Momentum Nashville with our third SuperGrant of the season," Nashville Predators Vice President of Community Relations Rebecca King said. "The Preds Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to help donate the funding for Café Momentum to purchase supplies that will create more work experiences for the youth in its programs. Café Momentum is positively impacting so many lives in our community, and we are excited to recognize this deserving organization."
Café Momentum is a nonprofit restaurant and culinary training facility for justice-involved youth, ages 15-19. They offer an eight-week internship program where each participant will earn a ServSafe® certificate that can be leveraged for future job opportunities. They also offer professional catering services and host successful pop-up dinners throughout Nashville. Additionally, Café Momentum has announced plans to open a permanent restaurant in 2024, which will serve as another means to help youth carve out a new path in life.
"Café Momentum is thrilled to receive the Predators/SmileDirectClub SuperGrant," Café Momentum Executive Director Rokeisha Bryant said. The investment of funds will help us provide more meaningful work experiences for our interns, as we take our catering efforts to the next level, with the purchase of a catering van. Thank you for your generosity and support of our mission. We look forward to continuing to serve the players and Nashville as we build momentum."
"SmileDirectClub is proud to support Café Momentum, a great organization with a similar mission: transforming lives," Smile Direct Club CMO John Sheldon said. "We are excited to see this organization grow as they continue to make a great impact in our local community."
Introduced during the 2019-20 season as part of the groundbreaking partnership between the Predators Foundation and Nashville-based SmileDirectClub, multiple SuperGrants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 will be awarded each season to Middle Tennessee community organizations. Funding will be allocated to support programming or the completion of large-scale projects that empower people during times of life transitions. Including the funds awarded to Home Street Home Ministries, Monroe Harding, Retrieving Independence and Maple Built, $200,000 in financial support was distributed by the SuperGrant program last season.
