Fabian Nelson, owner of the Potbelly Sandwich Shop in Olive Branch, MS since 2018, had been the successful national director of sales for a medical device company for a number of years. While business was going well, something other than money, prestige, and power was calling him. “I was looking for an opportunity to develop a family-run business where I could highlight my love of food with my neighbors and make an impact in the community where I live,” said Nelson.
Since he originally was from Louisiana, where food and family are intertwined in everything in life, Nelson settled on a Chicago-based Potbelly Sandwich Shop franchise. “Food has the power to create a sense of warmth and connection with someone better than most any other thing. At my sandwich shop, we create an environment where every person feels like an invited guest who is coming to my home for a meal. We put our best foot forward to make sure our neighbors have the best toasty sandwich in the Midsouth and give them a reason to have a smile on their faces because they visited the shop. We have carried this approach over to our busy catering business. As a result, when we prepare and set up our food at the catered delivery location, we come with our best to serve our customers like they are family.”
Nelson sees his success not only coming from the high quality food product and welcoming approach he and his staff prepare each day, but also investing into his community as a way of creating lasting customer relationships. “Before I officially opened, I donated the sales on my first 2 days of operations as a first fruits offering to DeSoto Grace, a locally-based Christian charitable organization working with at-risk kids.” He has celebrated the healing milestones and raised money for a young patient from Chicago who was being treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by donating a part of his sales to her single Mother. “I have also helped school and church organizations with their fundraising and catered many of their meals at low to no cost as well.”
So, when he was approached by a local representative to have his payroll processed through Heartland Payment Systems and have a portion of his payroll processing fee donated to a nonprofit of his choice, he was elated. Nelson said, “I wanted to work with a local company where I can always get answers to my questions, where I can get on the phone and solve any issue and Heartland fit that model. I did not change companies from my former payroll processing company just based upon price. I always try to align myself and my businesses with companies that work locally and directly with me and help me support something I am passionate about. Doing payroll processing through Heartland and giving through Extra Credit fit that model.”
Simply by paying the monthly payroll processing fees to Heartland, Nelson is able to direct monthly contributions without writing a check or donating a part of his profits to the Memphis Dream Center, a ministry of The Life Church in Memphis, TN.
Dr. Joe Carson, Community Relations Director and former dentist, explains the beginning of the Memphis Dream Center, “Information from the 2010 Census indicated that food insecurity, infant mortality, and educational inequity were significant needs in Memphis, TN.” Principals and administrators at schools in under-resourced communities, informed the MDC team that students had a difficult time learning in the classrooms often due to hunger. Because the Memphis Dream Center is a decidedly Christian organization, being patterned after and connected to the original Dream Center in Los Angeles, CA, the initial free food distribution was provided in parks located close to the schools. After volunteers had built good relationships with school leadership, they were invited into the schools and given permission by the school district to distribute the food resources inside the school. Carson reports that, “During the school year, just over 4,200 students are provided with food resources each week through the FeedMemphis weekend food bag program, delivered directly at nine elementary schools. In addition, nine other churches are sharing the responsibility of providing FeedMemphis weekend food bags in their communities to more than 1,700 students.”
After the food distribution program had operated for a while and relationships had developed, the MDC team began looking for other ways to help the kids. Soon, volunteers began tutoring, reading, and providing after-school leadership and literacy programming. Carson reports that, “As a result of consistent engagement and encouragement, 85% of the students improved at least one letter grade in each subject.”
The Vision of the Memphis Dream Center is to serve people, develop leaders, and impact generations. It’s mission is to meet the needs of the under-served and under-resourced, encouraging them to dream big dreams and experience the touch of God through the words and actions of those who have intentionally chosen to walk alongside. Carson believes that ministry flows out of relationships and those relationships drive the ministry direction. Thus, the Memphis Dream Center has expanded to provide weekly food pantries, a monthly mobile food distribution, a baby boutique providing supplies and mentoring for young mothers with infant children, and a youth leadership program. And recently the Memphis Dream Center opened the Family Enrichment Center which hosts adult education classes including a financial empowerment program, ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, and Dialysis Technician Certification classes. Relationships are being formed with families of incarcerated men and women, providing school supplies and Christmas gifts. In addition, support for Foster Families and Human Trafficking victims is being provided.
Carson says that individuals and/or businesses are encouraged to donate directly or through unique programs like Extra Credit that permit Nelson and Potbelly Sandwich Shop to provide direct contributions. “The Memphis Dream Center and its volunteers are honored to provide opportunity and dignity to our friends and neighbors, becoming a beacon of hope for
many in the Memphis and Midsouth region.”