Some people do their best work behind the scenes—without recognition, without fanfare, and without needing credit. Cathy Graff is one of those people.
She leads the Family Resource Center for Sumner County Schools, and while her title may sound simple, the work she does is anything but. Cathy and her team meet the everyday, real-life needs of students so they can show up ready to learn. That means clothes. It means food. It means motel stays for families in crisis. It means clean socks, hygiene products, and quiet dignity.
It’s not flashy, but it’s powerful.
I Just Want to Take Care of These Kids
Cathy has been in this role for five years—and she’s seen the need grow fast. When she started, the Family Resource Center supported around 250 students a year. Today? That number’s over 1,400 and counting.
And these aren’t just one-time checklists. Each request comes through a discreet Google Form submitted by a school counselor. Cathy reads them all. Then she and her teammate Jennifer gather what’s needed, pack it up, and make sure it gets to the student—without drawing attention. Because for Cathy, dignity is part of the care.
“If I wouldn’t put it on my kids,” she said, “I’m not putting it on someone else’s.”
It Started with a Pair of Pants
When Cathy tells you her “why,” you understand the heart behind her work. She grew up in poverty. She remembers the instability, the moves, the fear of lights getting turned off. But she also remembers the kindness of her school—specifically the day a teacher gave her a pair of gray corduroy pants.
“They were the best pants,” she said. “I just thought I was so cool in those gray corduroys.”
That memory stuck. That feeling of being seen, cared for, and loved—that’s what she wants every student to experience.
More Than School Supplies
The Family Resource Center isn’t just about backpacks and sneakers (though they give those, too). It’s about showing kids—and their families—that someone sees them.
And Cathy’s quick to point out she’s not doing it alone.
School guidance counselors are the unsung heroes—doing everything from feeding students to quietly washing clothes for kids who need them.
Community partners like Shalom Zone, Feed Sumner, Unlimited Potential, and Live Love Nashville step up, especially in the summer months.
Churches and volunteers donate food, time, and gently used clothing.
Together, they make it work.
What You Can Do
As we head into summer—a season when school resources aren’t as visible—Cathy shared a few simple ways the community can help:
- Donate gently used clothes that kids and teens would actually want to wear. Drop-offs are accepted at the old junior high school building next to the football stadium, Monday–Friday from 8:00–4:00.
- Support local food organizations like Feed Sumner and Shalom Zone. They provide weekly meals for families when school meals aren’t available.
- Stay aware. Needs exist in every town, every school, and every neighborhood—even if you don’t see them at first glance.
As Cathy said, “There’s so much our schools and community do that people don’t realize. But the need is great. And we all have a part to play.”
Fuel for the Work
This isn’t easy work. It can be heavy. But Cathy is grounded in her faith. She starts each morning asking God for discernment and trusts that He’ll provide what’s needed—just as He always has.
Her wind-down routine? Time with her family and dogs, a little TV that makes her laugh, and the peace that comes from knowing she did what she could that day.
Because at the end of it all, this work matters.
And she’ll keep showing up.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of A Good Pour wherever you get your podcasts.