Jacob and Joy photo courtesy of Andrew Kenworthy photography

The Community Foundation’s Heart of Nashville series revisits stories of donors and active community residents who have stepped up to ensure that our region continues to be one of the very best places to call home.


We’ve read and heard time and again that millennials are a generation of givers.

But Jacob and Joy Weiss took it to the next level.

In planning their marriage last year, the caring, community-minded couple employed the internet rather than the department stores when registering for their wedding gifts.

Jacob and Joy launched a crowd-funding web page with the goal of raising money to establish the Jacob and Joy Charitable Fund at The Community Foundation.

The Fund’s mission is to target hunger-related issues in Middle Tennessee by providing micro-grants to nonprofits that address food insecurity, food deserts, community gardens, health and nutrition.

Not only did the nontraditional wedding registry find success, Jacob and Joy’s story made national news, including a television appearance on the “Steve Harvey” show. The segment concluded with the TV host announcing a substantial donation to their Fund.

Jacob and Joy exemplify the ingenuity and generosity of “The Next Generation of American Giving.” In establishing the Jacob and Joy Charitable Fund, they’ve also demonstrated the role The Community Foundation can play in helping young people achieve their philanthropic goals creatively, conveniently, comfortably and cost-effectively.

We wish this loving couple a long and happy life together. Their Fund is proof that you don’t need great wealth to make an impact — only a big heart and a willing partner.


Support Jacob and Joy Charitable Fund
Heart of Nashville Story Series