When she first came to us, she couldn’t close a door.
She couldn’t turn off a light. Darkness felt dangerous. Our staff sat outside the bathroom and talked with her while she showered, helping her unlearn what fear had taught her.
Then one night, something remarkable happened.
She turned off the light. She closed the door. And she slept.
Safety is where freedom starts
That moment is what our work is about. Every survivor’s first need is safety: a safe space, safe people, a safe plan, a safe purpose. Everything else is built on it. Counseling, advocacy, job readiness, reunification with children, a home of their own: none of it can begin until someone can finally rest.
So far this year, our teams have provided 2,815 nights of safe housing, already more than in all of 2025. In the last quarter alone, that was 838 nights: an average of nine safe beds filled every single night. Alongside those beds came 3,556 therapeutic services this year, the slow, faithful work that helps fear loosen its grip.
Behind every number is a name. Behind every bed is a night someone finally slept.
A partner that puts people first
This year, Nelson Mazda of Cool Springs and Nelson Mazda of Murfreesboro became the Diamond Sponsor of the One Freedom Gala, our highest level of partnership.
It fits. Nelson built its business on what it calls the Nelson Difference: One Price, One Person. Every customer gets one honest price up front and one dedicated advisor from start to finish, an advisor whose job is to recommend the vehicle that fits you best, not the one the dealership most wants to sell. It is a simple promise: treat every person with honesty and care.
And Mazda has made safety its calling card. Consumer Reports has named Mazda its Safest New-Car Brand, and nine 2026 Mazda models earned the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.
A company that keeps families safe on the road is now helping keep survivors safe at night. We could not ask for a better partner in our 15th year.
Not to act is to act
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Nelson Mazda chose to act. On October 29, we invite you to act with them.
Join us
One Freedom Gala: The Key to Freedom
Thursday, October 29, 2026 · 6:30 PM · Double Barrel Angus Barn, College Grove, TN
- Get your ticket ($100), and fill a car with three friends
- Can’t be there? Give toward the $50,000 Gala Match. Every gift is doubled.
- Become a Freedom Partner at $50 a month
Visit Nelson Mazda Cool Springs at 7104 S Springs Dr, Franklin, and Nelson Mazda Murfreesboro at 1214 Fortress Blvd, Murfreesboro. Tell them Rescue 1 sent you.