Nourishing The Community Podcast · STP Productionss

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro

·34 min·2 clips

Charity Circle says every donation goes back to the community because the group has no salaries or payroll taxes.

1. Nourishing The Community Podcast welcomes Kathy DiNardo and Kelly Goodman for a conversation about Charity Circle of Murfreesboro. 2. LaDonna Parham and Norman Hanks host the episode, while Kathy DiNardo and Kelly Goodman speak for Charity Circle and explain how the group works. 3. The episode asks what Charity Circle does, how it raises money, and how residents can get involved in Rutherford County. 4. Kathy DiNardo says Charity Circle started in 1910 when women gathered around poor needs in the community. 5. Kelly Goodman says the organization now has about 175 women who meet quarterly and fund local nonprofits. 6. The guests name the nine ongoing agencies: ACE Learning Center, Child Advocacy Center, Community Helpers, Domestic Violence Center, Doors of Hope, Good Shepherd’s Children’s Home, Nourish, Special Kids, and The Journey Home. 7. Kathy DiNardo says the group also receives 35 to 40 grant applications every year for additional funds. 8. The hosts discuss how Charity Circle moved from the Women’s Club to Stones River Country Club and then to The View at Fountains because of size and cost limits. 9. Kathy DiNardo says members pay for their own meals, and all Charity Circle fundraising money goes back to the community. 10. The guests explain that membership is by invitation, but anyone can attend the parties and signal interest by showing up and supporting events. 11. Kelly Goodman says attendees are asked to donate about what they would spend on a nice meal out. 12. The conversation notes that Charity Circle grew from door-to-door Christmas caroling with buckets to neighborhood parties and then six annual fundraising parties. 13. Kathy DiNardo describes the December 1 ladies’ luncheon as a 25th-anniversary event at Jessica Winfrey’s home with a new cookbook. 14. Kelly Goodman describes the December 8 Cocktails and Cheer party at Maggie and Ben Parsley’s home as a couples’ Christmas gathering. 15. The guests contrast the dress codes, from sequins and plaid for holiday parties to casual summer clothes for the summer supper. 16. Kelly Goodman says the Ugly Duckling Ball is the signature fundraiser, with dinner, dancing, a band, and a silent auction at Stones River Country Club on April 27. 17. Kathy DiNardo and Kelly Goodman speak in a conversational, local-community style with frequent back-and-forth joking. 18. The episode moves from organizational history to event logistics, then to a broader discussion of nonprofit staffing and overhead. 19. People interested in Murfreesboro nonprofits and local fundraising traditions. 20. Listeners wanting celebrity gossip or a narrative arc with conflict. 21. Charity Circle’s model is built so that volunteer labor and member-paid event costs leave donations available for local agencies. 22. LaDonna Parham points out that the group’s ongoing board liaisons help each nonprofit report needs and growth directly back to Charity Circle. 23. Kelly Goodman says the board is exploring Amazon wish lists for special projects, replacing older canned-goods and glove drives. 24. The guests say the organization adapted through World War II, Zoom during COVID, and changing event formats over time. 25. Kathy DiNardo says the group’s current challenge is finding affordable space as Murfreesboro continues to grow. 26. The conversation repeatedly returns to Rutherford County, with the guests saying funded organizations must serve the county and keep the money there. 27. The hosts emphasize that Charity Circle supports food, shelter, medicine, and security needs through recurring grants. 28. The episode closes with the website CharityCircleMboro.org and the invitation to follow the group on Instagram and Facebook.

As heard by us

A plainspoken look at how one local group turns social events into real community support.

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro reads as a long-running, women-led nonprofit that began in 1910 and still meets quarterly to raise money for local groups, including Nourish Food Bank.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want a grounded, event-by-event look at local giving.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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