Cause & Effect: Jumbled Dreams Changing Lives

In 2018, a local 13-year-old girl had just moved to Middle Tennessee from a town that was classified as disadvantaged by the U.S. Census Bureau when she realized she had to try and help the less fortunate in her community.

Sydnee Floyd founded Jumbled Dreams Changing Lives when she was just 13; the nonprofit’s mission is to engage and work with youth, teens and families to show how kindness can greatly impact the lives of others by setting them up with service or donation opportunities.

Floyd has seen many families suffer through losing jobs as coal mines were closed in her former hometown. Seeing her friends struggle without adequate food or clothing still stays with her.

“Being in there in my hometown and seeing my own friends not have what they needed broke my heart,” she says. “I knew right then that my goal in life was to help others in any way I could. I will do whatever it takes to make a difference in this world.”

Her family moved to Middle Tennessee right before she founded Jumbled Dreams Changing Lives, and today, the Ravenwood High School senior tries to inspire the youth to make a difference by working with volunteer groups and organizations. It helps them understand how easy it can be to give back and change a life, she claims.

“Start now, because you never know what is going to happen in the future,” Floyd says. “If you find your dream, find passion and know you can make a difference.”

She realizes the interests of people are varied. Her idea for Jumbled Dreams is to identify volunteer opportunities and then recruit young people, educating them on how they can help change lives by volunteering for a particular cause.

Floyd spoke at a Women of Williamson event recently where other local nonprofit leaders called her a child prodigy and her message of hope truly inspiring.

Under her leadership, Jumbled Dreams has helped collect 100,000 pounds of food, 50,000 toiletry items, 15,000 articles of clothing, 2,000 school supply items and 1,500 toys. Recent donations include 100 backpacks to the Williamson County Homeless Alliance and toiletry kits for other organizations, including GraceWorks Ministries, Bridges Domestic Violence Center and others.

“Each of the backpacks has a handwritten note,” Floyd says. “We have heard stories of people wanting to kill themselves and reading the note made a difference.”

One of her favorite ways to raise money is to crochet and sell scarves for the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. She also sponsors a little girl in Nicaragua and even purchases school supplies for a classroom in Uganda.

In 2018, Floyd was featured in Dierks Bentley’s music video for “Woman, Amen” in Los Angeles. She also raised money for a ticket to a WE Day event where she met Selena Gomez.

Floyd credits much of her success to the love and support she gets from her mother and grandmother.

“My mom helps with grant writing, taxes, finances and events, and my grandma pitches in to help too,” Floyd says.

Jumbled Dreams will continue even if Floyd goes far away for college, she says, but her top choices are close to home: Vanderbilt and Belmont.

In addition to starting a nonprofit, Floyd has served as chair of the Make-A-Wish program at Ravenwood, been a member of student council and held other leadership roles.

To learn more about Jumbled Dreams, visit www.jumbleddreams.org.