Our Story
25+ years of showing up for the kids of Warren County.
Get to know Kids of the Community
Watch this video to learn more about Kids of the Community.
A simple idea in 1998
Kids of the Community started in 1998 as the idea of Barry Dishman, Director of Juvenile Court Services for Warren County. Noticing that the percentage of kids getting in trouble was higher than in neighboring counties, Mr. Dishman decided to try an idea on how to break the cycle of poverty and crime: show some interest in the kids, play together, and share a meal together.
The program's beginning was simple: organize activities and do whatever you can to help children engage and create a better life for themselves.
At first the program focused on troubled teenagers already involved in the juvenile justice system. Over time, Kids of the Community changed its focus to prevention and began serving children as young as five.
Today the program serves children aged 5 to 18 in Warren County who fall below the poverty line and are considered at-risk youth — as many as 225 children on our roster each year, at no cost to their families.
Where our kids go from here
Adreamea Dennison
Adreamea was an early member of Kids of the Community. She lived in the projects with her grandmother, and when she joined KOTC she was able to do many fun and exciting things that weren't possible before because of her family's finances.
Kids of the Community helped Adreamea get a college scholarship and coached her through getting her driver's license. Judge Ross, a KOTC volunteer at the time, bought her a car, and KOTC helped her land a job at a local grocery store.
After graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice, Adreamea joined Amazon, where she has worked for the past 10 years. She is now a manager there and recently bought a home.
Tyler Keener
“I learned about the patience required to work with young children. Now I have two of my own.”
Tyler started at Kids of the Community with his brother and sister when the organization was first getting started. He had been in foster care for a few years before being placed with his father, a single parent of two.
Without internet at home, Tyler came to Homework Help on Tuesdays and Thursdays to use KOTC's computers, and got tutoring from local college students who volunteered.
As he grew older he realized the organization relied on volunteers, so he became one — serving as a counselor, handyman, Paddlefest coordinator, summer camp coordinator, and gardener. Tyler now works at Batesville in Manchester and is married with two children.
The Kids of the Community facility
We started out meeting in a local park and sometimes in someone's basement. As the program grew it needed a permanent home, but with no budget for property or rent, the First National Bank of Middle Tennessee filled the need.
Since then the center has expanded thanks to generous donations from the community, local churches, the City of McMinnville, and Warren County. Today it includes:
- Indoor dining & game room
- Assembly room for skits & dance
- Covered outdoor dining area
- Playground & Ga-Ga ring
- Food & supply storage
- Breakout & nap room
- Arcade room
- Community room with free clothing & food
