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In Touch with Tennessee
In Touch with Tennessee
Bridging Language Barriers in Community Service: Second Harvest Food Bank's Journey
Ever wondered how the power of language can transform community service? Join us as we uncover the story of how Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, together with Maya Campbell from the Tennessee Language Center and Jessica Goode from Second Harvest, is bridging language barriers to better support Nashville's Spanish-speaking community. This episode promises a heartening look at cultural responsiveness in action, showcasing the impact that learning Spanish has had on the organization's staff, volunteers, and the lives of those they serve.
According to the Nashville mayor's office of New Americans, nearly 12% of the city's population was born outside of the United States and nearly half of those people are recent immigrants who entered the country since 2000. In 2012, nashville had the fastest growing immigrant population of any American city. Some of the new population needs social and community services. One such service is Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Not wanting language to be a barrier to serving their clients, employees, volunteers and partners at Second Harvest participated in corporate Spanish language classes offered by the Tennessee Language Center. Hi and welcome to In Touch with Tennessee, a podcast of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service. Joining me today to talk about the project with Second Harvest are Maya Campbell, Spanish instructor and curriculum coordinator with the Tennessee Language Center, and Jessica Good, partnership manager with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Thanks to both of you for joining us today. Hello, it's a pleasure. So, jessica, tell us about the services of Second Harvest. Sure.
Speaker 2:Well, to begin, I guess, just stating our mission at Second Harvest Food Bank. We provide food to people facing hunger and work to advance hunger solution. Starting with that mission, we have multiple programs that we work here with food at Second Harvest. The one pertaining to with a lot of our Spanish-speaking community and culture, I would say, would be most of our food pantries, and we have over about 400 of those in Middle Tennessee within the 46 counties.
Speaker 1:So when did you start seeing more non-English-speaking clients? I mean, has that you've seen an increase as of late?
Speaker 2:I would say that there has only, I mean over many years. We've seen changes, but I would say, off of the top of my head, it's been more prevalent within the last five years.
Speaker 1:Okay, and what led to the idea to have your staff, your volunteers and your partners participate in the Spanish classes, and how did you connect with the Tennessee Language Center?
Speaker 2:Absolutely, I would say. At Second Harvest we're doing our best to be culturally responsive to the changes that we're seeing in the Tennessee area. So obviously language barriers play a big piece into that, and having the opportunity with the Language Center has been quite amazing for our partnership managers, who will go out and see all of those food pantries with those different cultures coming into them, but then also for our food pantries, those participants, to be able to come into the Language Center and learn as well has really been a really positive impact to be able to utilize those skills in the community.
Speaker 1:And what's been the response of your partners and your volunteers who have gone to these classes?
Speaker 2:Sure, I think it's. I would say overall, overall it's been a positive response. I think it makes the participants or the community feel more comfortable, even though we've only started to kind of step into that. Those language barriers. Even just kind of having that small connection of being able to understand how someone's communicating with you, has made a big difference in how people are coming to the door and showing up as a community.
Speaker 1:Okay, so Maya, tell us about this project with Second Harvest and the importance of being able to communicate with our neighbors who might be new to the US.
Speaker 3:Yes, it was incredibly rewarding project and the class with Jessica actually is our second class. With Second Harvest and its relationship we really really find important and hope to continue in the future. I say rewarding and this is why we always invite our students to tell us why they are learning Spanish and what they do. And with Second Harvest, you quickly find out that these are people who already come with the mindset of helping other, walking alongside with other people when they have a need, and Spanish, I think, for them is just this one more tool they're willing to spend the time for and learn so they can actually help more people and better.
Speaker 3:And Jessica already talked about this connection and I think that goes for all of our jobs. We can do our jobs mechanically and very well, but it is when we connect with the people we serve is when I think we make the true difference, and I think it goes beyond just serving food, for example. I think that's one activity for them. It is connecting with that person and I think we all need this one someone to be there for us, to find us where we are, and I think it really can change the course of your day. It makes you feel a part of the community. I think really building bridges within the community, when you try someone's language, it is a much more powerful way to connect and you should have seen their level of engagement. I refer to the second harvest students, when the language was specifically related to something they can use when they interacted with the people they serve. It was really a rewarding experience.
Speaker 1:So were there any of the students in the class who maybe had some Spanish classes prior, or was this pretty much new to most of them?
Speaker 3:Some of them might have studied Spanish in school or universities, but at that point they can't see the practical application of the language. So if they did, we didn't talk much about that. I think it is probably safe to assume that this was the first time they approached. Most of them approached the language with the goal of using it right after they walk out of the classroom.
Speaker 1:So, Jessica, tell us a little. I mean, is this something and I know this was a little new, but I know the immigrant population in Nashville, of course, is growing, and not just Spanish speakers. There are a lot of other immigrants who are coming to live in Nashville. Has there been any talk about teaching other languages to some of your partners? Yes, there has been.
Speaker 2:I would say, to be honest, this is kind of the first step that we've taken, even with the language center, over the last couple of years. So I mean, I would like to think that it's on the horizon, but really we're trying to actually look for those people who are already even speaking those other languages and then, you know, making those job opportunities at Second Harvest as well.
Speaker 2:And that's kind of in a perfect world, of course, but one step at a time, I guess, is the best way I would put that. I think I feel like this is something that has been needed to happen for a long time. So I think we're just kind of in that grateful state of mind where it's like, wow, we finally got here, so kind of serving this well and being intuitive or intentional about how this particular language is set in the community, and then hopefully, yes, expand and move on. We're always growing so fast, which is a good problem, but we want to serve our community well, so being kind of intentional in the process is important to us.
Speaker 1:And Maya, is this service something that other community organizations and or even, you know, larger private sector companies have used or plan to use, have talked to you all about?
Speaker 3:Yes, of course, and Susan, before I share about those projects I wanted to mention, I think it is important that I myself was new to the United States once before. I know just how important it is to speak English. It helps you with job opportunities. It really helps you with health, with health, with safety, with education, and this is why I'm really happy that at the Tennessee Language Center we promote both learning English and learning other languages just as much. But it is a reality that, through whatever circumstances, life circumstances people go through, we do have in our community folks who don't speak English just yet, and this is why, in this context, I feel very fortunate that at the Tennessee Language Center we get to work with schools. We offer Spanish for educators, for teachers or educators who can help families, parents, children of students to understand what's going on in the school and not always use the children as interpreters. We also have, for example, spanish for medical personnel and we are getting ready to develop a course that is Spanish for law enforcement, and I think these are more in the category of just like Spanish.
Speaker 3:A second harvest are these are people learning a language to help other people. We have fun and travel and falling in love and those are very big motivators with individuals. There's also the lucrative side of things you have. We have worked with companies that have large group of, let's say, spanish speaking employees and will help with English but will also help with Spanish. And I can think of also one example of when we have a company that is looking into expanding their business, their market, into Central America and they wanted their employees here to learn a little bit of Spanish so they can connect with their colleagues abroad and also to understand the cultural differences and be aware so they can work better together.
Speaker 1:And so, talking about the language services that you all provide, they're pretty much statewide now, aren't you?
Speaker 3:With the classes we offer online. We are, we are.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:And we also are looking to expand in for in-person. There's now after, of course, covid. We have all experienced the benefits of learning online, but in the end people walk out with their preference for in-person or online setting. Whatever setting we offer, the classes are meant to be interactive for our students. So, but still we have those who prefer strongly in-person classes and we are working hard on offering in-person classes. Currently. We have some in Clarksville and in Memphis hoping to expand even further in the future. But with online there's no boundaries.
Speaker 1:Right, right, so, jessica. One last question, and I'm not sure how closely you all work through with other second harvest organizations across the state. Is this something that some of the other organizations have shown interest in possibly doing?
Speaker 2:That's a good question I would say. I would like to think that as we have more cultural moving into America, that we have to step up to the plate and be responsive. So I know there's a lot of conversations. I can't necessarily speak for the other food banks within Middle Tennessee and the bound, but I know it's on everybody's radar and obviously funds play a big piece into how every business, how every non-for-profit is able to have capacity for different opportunities like this. So I mean I guess I would love to see even the state and some different places kind of step up and kind of allow for more of that funding there.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:I think that would obviously make a big difference into how we can be more responsive. But I know that we are a large food bank in the Middle Tennessee area so I think we can kind of say that we set a good standard and I hope that if they are not doing it, we can kind of be that example to other food banks to kind of give that extra push on what a positive experience it has been for not only the employees at Second Harvest but also the community within Middle Tennessee.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you for joining us and listeners. I hope you enjoyed this topic and you can find out more about the Tennessee Language Center at wwwtlctennescedu. And thanks, listeners, for joining us today. Be sure to find In Touch with Tennessee, where you get your favorite podcast, and I'll see you next time. Thank you, thank you.
