HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1358
By Behn
A RESOLUTION to recognize and honor Jerrell Raymond Voorhees for his service to the citizens of
Tennessee.
WHEREAS, it is fitting that we should pay tribute to those exemplary Tennesseans who work with purpose and conviction to improve the quality of life in their respective communities;
and WHEREAS, one such estimable individual is Jerrell Raymond Voorhees, whose tireless devotion to serving the Nashville area has greatly improved the lives of his fellow citizens; and WHEREAS, Mr. Voorhees began and was in charge of Southeast Nashville Flood Recovery after the historic, catastrophic flood event of May 2010, and his commitment to
ministry with the unhoused led him to found Housing Navigation Centers, which provide transitional housing and support services to the unhoused, including families and children; and WHEREAS, he also established Call the Name, which partners with Nashville's indigent burial fund to provide dignified, compassionate burials for deceased Davidson County residents who otherwise would or could not have a service, due either to financial difficulties or to having no known surviving loved ones; and WHEREAS, a member of the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship, Mr. Voorhees has served as a pastor at Bellevue United Methodist Church, Antioch United Methodist Church,
Old Hickory United Methodist Church, and City Road Chapel United Methodist Church in
Madison, where he has served since 2014 and leads the congregation and its various outreach efforts; and WHEREAS, Mr. Voorhees and City Road Chapel are known throughout the community for meeting emergency needs, offering laundry services and hot showers as well as a fully HJR1358
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operational transitional shelter, which opened in 2021 and can house up to fifteen people as
they wait for permanent housing; the church is the epicenter of the homeless community in
Madison and serves as home base for organizations such as Open Table Nashville and The Beat; and WHEREAS, his community service further includes serving as the president of Old Hickory Chamber of Commerce and working to save Metro General Hospital, a campaign he
has engaged in twice during the past twenty years; and WHEREAS, the success of Tennessee, the strength of our communities, and the overall vitality of our society depend, in great measure, on the dedication of people like Mr. Voorhees,
who use their considerable talents and resources to serve others; and WHEREAS, for more than three decades, Mr. Voorhees has devoted himself to
improving the lives of those in the Nashville communities of Bellevue, Antioch, Old Hickory, and Madison, and we are most pleased to recognize his important, compassionate work at this time;
now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
THIRTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we honor and commend Jerrell Raymond Voorhees for his outstanding community service throughout the Nashville area, extending our gratitude for his devoted work and our best wishes for his continued success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear without House or Senate designation.
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