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A resolution honoring the life of Reverend Charles Frederick Strobel and requesting that Nashville’s Permanent Supportive Housing Center be named in his honor.
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WHEREAS, beloved Nashvillian, longtime priest and humanitarian, Reverend Charles Frederick Strobel passed away at the age of 80 on August 6, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Strobel was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1943 and grew up on 7th Avenue North in Germantown, a neighborhood that was anchored by the Church of the Assumption; and
WHEREAS, he was a graduate of Father Ryan High School and spent four years in the seminary at St. Mary’s College in Kentucky, receiving his bachelor’s degree in philosophy. Strobel went on to receive a master’s degree in theology from Catholic University, a master’s in education from Xavier University, and an honorary doctorate in divinity from MacMurray College; and
WHEREAS, after he was ordained in January 1970, Reverend Strobel served for five years as the Associate Pastor Immaculate Conception parish in Knoxville, Tennessee and also taught at Knoxville Catholic High School, and was an instructor in the University of Tennessee’s Department of Human Services; and
WHEREAS, Strobel returned to Nashville in 1975 to serve as associate pastor of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Donelson; and
WHEREAS, one of Strobel’s most significant impacts on Nashville, Room In The Inn, began on a winter night in 1985 when he looked out the window of the rectory of East Nashville’s Holy Name Catholic Church and saw people sitting in cars, trying to make it through the bitter cold night; and
WHEREAS, Strobel invited the people into the church, gave them a meal, and a place to sleep for the night. His act of kindness sparked his larger idea to create a city-wide program in which congregations across Nashville provide food, shelter, and community during the winter months; and
WHEREAS, Strobel launched Room In The Inn in December 1986 with four congregations, and by the end of that winter, 31 churches, synagogues, and mosques answered the call to welcome unhoused people; and
WHEREAS, in 2005, Strobel asked his longtime colleague and friend, Rachel Hester, to become Executive Director of Room In The Inn, and he became Founding Director; and
WHEREAS, today, Room In The Inn comprises nearly 200 congregations and more than 7,000 volunteers who shelter nearly 1,500 people each winter, and more than 30 Room In The Inn programs now operate across the country; and
WHEREAS, Room In The Inn’s headquarters in Nashville is located downtown and offers emergency services, transitional programs, and long-term solutions including mental and physical health care services, education, employment support, and permanent housing solutions to help people rebuild their lives; and
WHEREAS, much in part to his upbringing, Charles Strobel dedicated his life to serving and advocating for underserved members of the community. He was very passionate about racial justice, mental health, and was a lifelong vocal opponent of capital punishment; and
WHEREAS, Strobel was devoted to the city of Nashville and the people in it. Many friends referred to him as “Charlie”, and he rarely turned down an invitation. He attended every family gathering, known for hitting several parties in the same night, was a breakfast regular at Noshville, and a familiar face at the finish line of The Boulevard Bolt; and
WHEREAS, Strobel’s favorite pastime was baseball, a fascination which started at a young age at the old Sulphur Dell ballpark in North Nashville. He was a formidable player and participated in competitive leagues well into his 70s, and was often seen at most Nashville Sounds and Vanderbilt baseball games; and
WHEREAS, Strobel will be remembered for his humanitarian work, his kindness and generosity towards all people, and his bright spirit; and
WHEREAS, Section 13.26.010 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws authorizes the Metropolitan Council to name buildings and structures of the Metropolitan Government by ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the Council is not scheduled to meet again until October 3, 2023, at which meeting an ordinance should be filed to rename Nashville’s first permanent supportive housing center, located at 600 2nd Avenue North, in his honor; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council honors the life and work of Charles Strobel by supporting the naming of Nashville’s first permanent supporting housing center in his honor.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as honoring the life of Reverend Charles Frederick Strobel.
Section 2. That the Metropolitan Council hereby requests that an ordinance be filed next term to name Nashville’s Permanent Supportive Housing Center in honor of Reverend Charles Frederick Strobel.
Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its passage, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.