Preds Foundation's Record-Breaking Grant Distribution Changing Lives

The Nashville community is one like no other.
With the help of organizations in the area, there is so much good nature being spread on a day-to-day basis. The Nashville Predators are proud to create and build relationships with many different organizations and to help spread that good spirit to reach as many people as possible.
Last week, the Predators Foundation, empowered by SmileDirectClub, distributed a record-breaking grant donation to 176 local nonprofit organizations that totaled $776,075. In total, the Predators Foundation has now provided over $8 million in grants since its inception in 1998.

"The Nashville Predators Foundation aims to fill the areas of need throughout the Middle Tennessee community, and we are honored to be able to give a franchise record-breaking $776,075 of grants," Nashville Predators Vice President of Community Relations Rebecca King said via press release. "We are extremely proud to distribute these grants to 176 deserving nonprofits who are doing incredible work in our community."
Former Preds Senior Vice President and Advisor Gerry Helper curated many of these relationships. With his good-natured spirit and time spent as the Foundation's board chairman, the Predators have since been able to transform the Preds Foundation into something much greater than when it was originally created.
"Our original mission statement was quite simple: work hard, play hard and provide outrageous customer and community service," Helper said Monday. "We wanted the organizations and the community to come to us to apply and tell us how they would use the money. We did not want to use it for administrative and staffing costs. We really wanted to help create new programs and new projects that would help you do work that you wouldn't otherwise, perhaps, be able to do."
One of the organizations in attendance, the Freedom Reigns Ranch, received a grant totaling $5,400.
Carissa Ramsdel - Founder & Executive Director of the Ranch - says that the grant brought so much joy and meaning to everyone involved. The grant will allow them to bring more support to their summer junior rancher group, a program that provides support and mentorship to children who have faced trauma and abuse. Through the Ranch, the children connect with a horse who has also faced that same neglect allowing the campers to connect with the horses in a way that is difficult to replicate with a human following traumatic events.
"Freedom Reigns Ranch is so] grateful," Ramsdel said. "We can't do it without you guys… We don't ever want people to have to pay to come and experience hope… Grants like this and the Preds Foundation allow us to continue this work so more people can be empowered to go out and continue to make a difference. It doesn't just stop with them. It makes it possible."
This year's announcement marks the 24th grant distribution by the Predators Foundation.
[Click here to view the entire list
of the 176 nonprofit organizations that received grants.