What is the backstory of your business?
-When?
Meritan was founded May 6, 1961.
-Why?
We were chartered by the State of Tennessee as “Senior Citizens Center,” as a result of the recognition of a need to organize and centralize the work of clubs and churches which were beginning to try to address the needs of elderly Memphians. We began providing older Memphians with social, health-related, and recreational services.
-How?
Meritan began with a group of seniors meeting in a local church. Throughout the years, our services have adjusted to meet the needs of the communities we serve. Our programs expanded from in-home supports to seniors to also serve medically fragile and at risk foster children, senior employment services, residential services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, skilled home health services and an elder abuse response program. Most recently, we have added COVD testing and vaccinating to our response.

Tell us your role in the business.
I am the current Director of Development at Meritan. I am responsible for all fundraising, communications, and marketing efforts through social media and digital marketing, written solicitations, grant writing and compliance for corporations/foundations, special events, corporate donors, and other community fundraising events. I am also responsible for external community relationships, volunteer coordination, and public relations.

What are the biggest challenges? 
Currently, one of our biggest challenges would be staffing for our In-Home and Community Based Services. We are in high need for home care specialists to help take care of our elderly clients, especially during the pandemic. For more information, please go to www.Meritan.org/careers.

What are the biggest rewards? 
Our biggest reward currently is having the opportunity to vaccinate people in their homes and bridging the gap. On March 16, 2021, Meritan began its homebound COVID-19 vaccinations program thanks to a grant from the Tennessee Association for Home Care. The Tennessee Association for Home Care (TAHC) received a grant from the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) to vaccinate homebound people in the TCAD programs that include home-delivered meals, OPTIONS, and the Family Caregiver Program.

How does your business give back to the community? 
Meritan is a nonprofit dedicated to providing health and social services to more than 1,600 Mid-Southerners annually who experience a renewed sense of self-worth, celebrating 60 years this year. Founded in 1961 to address the critical need of the elderly, Meritan was founded as the result of the recognition of a need to organize and centralize the works of clubs and churches. Meritan provides an array of programs for diverse groups including, frail and homebound seniors, children in foster care, services to victims of elder abuse, senior employment, and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

If your business is in Germantown, why did you choose Germantown?
We are in Downtown Memphis, 345 Adams Avenue. We moved to our Downtown Memphis location in December of 2017 because we wanted to be closer and more accessible to the clients that we serve.We chose to join the Germantown Chamber because many of our volunteers, donors, and supporters live in Germantown, TN.

Has your business received any recommendations or awards?
Yes, we have received:
○ TopWorkplace award for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, 2018,2019, 2020 ○ TopWorkplacesWoman-Led Culture Excellence Award, 2021
○ “FlexibleWork Place” TopWorkplace Commercial Appeal award, 2016
○ cityCURRENT Nonprofit of the Year Award (with a budget greater than $5 million) in December 2018
○ COA Accreditation
○ ACHC Accreditation
○ Staff Awards -
■ Melanie Keller- Superwomen in Business and Health Care Heroes by the Memphis Business Journal
■ Dona Futch - TNCO Manager of the Year Eastern TN, 2018
■ Liz Dayton, RN, 2018
■ Chessie (Biggam) Hayes: AFP Global Outstanding Young Professional 2020, Greater Memphis Chamber’s Young Memphis Class of 2020, Award Memphis Flyer Top 20<30 Class of 2019
■ Kyle Eaton, Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2020
■ Patti Kesler, The Daily Memphian’s CFO of the Year, 2020

How has being a Chamber member helped your business?
Being a Germantown Chamber member has allowed us to increase our visibility, exposure, and business networking connections in the city of Germantown and surrounding areas.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your business? 
Although Meritan’s headquarters is located in Downtown Memphis, we are a regional nonprofit organization that provides programming in 4 states, which include Tennessee, Arkansas, George, and Mississippi. In Mississippi, we are known as Apelah, which is a subsidiary of Meritan.

Name:  Christopher B. Hope
Email:    chris@chrishopefoundation.org
Business:  Chris Hope Foundation (non-profit)
 
What is the backstory of your business?
 
When?
In 2015, the Chris Hope Foundation, a non-profit was established - dedicated to touching patients’ lives and empowering the families of those battling childhood cancer and other pediatric illnesses.
 
Why? 
I’ve always had a desire to help others. After realizing there were other needs outside of the medical aspect, I wanted to help provide both emotional and financial support to families who were facing one of the greatest fights of their lives.
 
How? 
With a dedicated group of volunteer staff and workers, we coordinate and administer resources acquired through sponsorships, donors and annual fundraising events.
 
Tell us your role in the business?
My role in the business is CEO/Founder. I can also be found working in every aspect of the business to ensure quality performance.
 
What are your biggest challenges?
One of my biggest challenges is acquiring and maintaining the necessary sponsors and donors to help fund our efforts in assisting families.    
 
What are your biggest rewards?
I am greatly rewarded when a life has been changed, a smile has been made, and a family has been helped through the aid and assistance of the CHF foundation.
 
How does your business give back to the community?
The Chris Hope Foundation has provided people with temporary housing, granted wishes for children in hospice, offered scholarships to teenage cancer survivors and organized community events advocating for pediatric cancer awareness and research.
When opportunity presents itself, CHF is always up for the challenge. The winter snowstorm 2021 caused serious issues in the Memphis area, including a water crisis.  CHF took the necessary steps to find a supply of bottled water outside of Memphis and provided it to the St. Jude Tri Delta Place housing facility, the Le Bonheur FedEx House, and Le Bonheur’s child life Delivering the bottled water created a multitude of smiles and brought joy to these individuals and facilities that provide top-notch care for children and their families.
During that same time period of inclement weather (snow, ice and freezing temperatures), two 53' UPS trailers of meal kits were stuck in Memphis and unable to be delivered to the shipper's customers across the country. The shipper decided to donate all of the meal kits locally. Being a UPS employee, they asked me to help make it happen. The CHF team jumped into action and successfully transferred 1,700 boxes packed with over 5,000 pre-packaged meals to the Mid-South Food Bank and eight other community organizations. We felt the opportunity to help was critical at a time when so many individuals and families are facing challenges brought about by the pandemic and the extreme winter situation in Memphis.
We were happy to be of service to others in our hometown!
 
Has your business received any recommendations or rewards?
In 2016, the Chris Hope Foundation was recognized among the Top Three Nonprofits in the Memphis Community by the Tri-State Defender.
 
Recently, on February 4, 2021, I was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who – a publication that  chronicles the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor.
 
I have attributed my professional success to my passion and my caring heart.
 
How has being a Chamber member helped your business?
The Chamber has helped us with our branding efforts and has been a support to the foundation by posting CHF’s information on various social media platforms. We were also spotlighted on the Philanthropic Thursday issue with information regarding our upcoming bowling event on April 24, 2021.
 
Is there anything else you would like to add about your business?
The CHF Family House opened its doors September 5, 2020. The house is free of charge to families when they don’t otherwise qualify for hospital-provided housing.
Many hands and hearts helped create the CHF Family House and we continue to maintain to ensure every family is comfortable and enjoy their home away from home.
 
As a result of the exceptional work of the CHF team, I have proudly witnessed the foundation grow from two volunteers to more than 50 active volunteers. Looking toward the future, I plan to hire full-time employees at the Chris Hope Foundation so that we can expand our services and operate on a nationwide level.

What is the backstory of your business?
Edward Jones was founded in 1922 and has built its business around establishing offices with one financial officer and one business office administrator. Our goal is to build relationships with our clients using our established process to help them reach their life goals.

Tell us your role in the business.
I serve as the financial advisor to our clients here in Germantown and the surrounding area.

What are the biggest challenges?
Getting the message of what we can accomplish together out to the public.

What are the biggest rewards?
We very much enjoy building relationships with our clients and partnering with them to reach their goals.

How does your business give back to the community?
Edward Jones has been a long time supporter of The Alzheimer's Association, Toys for Tots, and other local initiatives.

If your business is in Germantown, why did you choose Germantown?
Germantown is a thriving, vital part of the Mid South. We feel we can walk along side residents of the area through their entire financial journey.

How has being a Chamber member helped your business?
The Germantown Chamber has been an essential part of our effort to build credibility and trust as we strive to serve everyone we encounter. 

Is there anything else you would like to add about your business?
We are proud to be an active member of the Germantown business community and look forward to many years of success together!


Learn more about Tom Shelley and how to connect with him here:
https://www.edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/thomas-shelley

 
When facing musculosketal issues, why should kids visit a pediatric orthopaedic specialist?  

A pediatric orthopaedic surgeon is the best-trained doctor to properly evaluate, treat, and manage musculoskeletal (bone, joint, or muscle) problems in a child from a newborn up through the teenage years. They have completed specialized training and gained advanced practice experience in managing children and their families. It’s important to know that children are not simply small adults. Children have different physiology and biology that creates a different set of problems, different patterns of injury, and require different treatments in order to avoid problems that may go on to be life-long. Moreover, pediatric orthopaedic surgeons know that children may have a hard time describing what is bothering them, answering questions, or cooperating with an exam. They are experienced in how to examine and treat children in a way that helps them to be relaxed and cooperative, as well as appreciating the concerns and anxiety of the family members. 
 
For parents, what are some warning signs that suggest their kids need to visit a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon?  

Pediatric surgeons manage a variety of conditions that involve the arms, legs and spine. Broken bones, problems walking, crooked limbs, curves in the spine, bone/joint infections, and sports-related injuries are just some examples of the conditions that pediatric orthopaedic surgeons routinely manage. If your child has pain in their arms, legs, or back that is interfering with their activities or disrupting their sleep, then they may benefit from an evaluation that starts with questions and an exam. They may require imaging such as an x-ray or MRI if necessary.
 
What are some common kid’s sports injuries you see and what is the return to play process like? 

More and more kids are playing year-round sports, often for multiple teams, and with more intense training or practices than in years past. As a result, the number of sports-related injuries is increasing in Memphis and across the U.S. A majority of injuries occur in the lower extremity involving the ankle, knee, or hip, but injuries to the arm and shoulder are also common. Most injuries can be managed with rest, limiting activity, ice, and size-appropriate braces. Others may require age-appropriate physical therapy with therapists experienced in working with children. Even less often, your child may require surgery in order to get back to normal activities and function. It is important that if your child does require surgery, that your surgeon and entire care team is experienced in managing children and teenagers. Before athletes can get back to safe play, it is imperative that they have received appropriate treatment and achieved their functional and return-to-sport goals.
 
In the past, Campbell Clinic has been regionally recognized with Le Bonheur as one of the best pediatric orthopaedic facilities in Tennessee. What are some factors that have contributed to your success?   
​
Campbell Clinic is currently the only orthopedic provider for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital. We are a nationally recognized program for excellence in patient care, education, and leadership in the field of pediatric orthopedics for over 100 years. With nine specialty clinics at Le Bonheur and regular clinics at each of the Campbell Clinic locations as well as Jackson, TN and Tupelo, MS, the Campbell Clinic has never been better equipped to manage musculoskeletal problems in children across the Mid-South. 

Regel Pharmalab is a compounding pharmacy dedicated to the art and science of compounding. If you have a prescription with a side effect you can't tolerate, an allergy to a certain ingredient, or just can't get your medication down, the pharmacists at Regel Pharmalab can hand make your prescription to fit you.

Can you describe what your business offers?
Compounding pharmacy services to the general public, medical professionals, including veterinary medication, in addition to offering vitamin and nutrient supplements, as well as bio-identical hormone replacement.

How long have you been in business?
Since 2003 (18 years).How does your business give back to the community? Support local high schools and local medical-related events with sponsorships.

Why did you choose Germantown for your business?
The heart of our business is serving the residents in the Germantown area which is why we relocated from Cordova in 2012.
​
How has being a Chamber member helped your business?
Provides more local engagement with other area small businesses like ourselves.

Regel Pharmalab
1352 Cordova Cove
Germantown, TN 38138
​901-757-9434

*As our way to say Thank You to our fellow Germantown Chamber of Commerce members we are offering a 10% discount through 12/31/2021 to each member for online purchases of retail products purchased via www.RegelPharmalab.com (excludes prescription medication)*