To equip tennesseans and their public officials to effectively promote and defend a culture that values the traditional family, for the sake of the common good.

Family Services , Human Services

Fact developed, promoted, and conducted a new seminar offering, "restoring the vision," that was attended by nearly 100 people. The event was extremely well received and plans are in the works to conduct it again during 2018. For the third year in a row the state legislative issues briefing (slib) was conducted as a single live event that was also live streamed on the internet. The purpose of the slib is to educate our constituency about state legislation filed at the beginning of a legislation session related to our core issues of marriage, family, life, and religious liberty. The live streaming seems to be gaining more acceptance each year and allows us to reach a much larger audience as well as to provide recorded excerpts throughout the year. We also continue to maintain a legislative status page on the fact web site that provides a general description and current status of pending legislation. During this past year, fact instituted two different study groups for young adults interested in public service. One of these groups is held in fact's franklin tn office and the other is conducted using video conferencing. The course materials include historical and current readings chosen to give the participants a broad understanding of civic responsibility from a traditional christian perspective. Fact began plans to interview and video tape all the gubernatorial candidates in the 2018 election in order to specifically address questions and concerns from a traditional family perspective. Fact continued to publish a monthly print newsletter that was mailed to approximately 1700 of our most active supporters each month. This newsletter highlights issues of high importance to the families and addresses current issues facing families in the culture and puts them in a conservative christian perspective. Fact developed and published a booklet entitled, "breaking free from cultural captivity" for use among its constituency and for distribution at various events. Fact participated in a weekend long, multi-state seminar for home education families at the opryland hotel complex, "teach them diligently", and prepared various pieces of educational literature for distribution at that event. Fact's president conducted numerous televisions and print media interviews and regularly appeared as a guest on two different radio programs in the greater memphis area. Through its constitutional government defense fund, fact served as counsel of record in three lawsuits. In two lawsuits, it represented ministers and other citizens seeking a determination of the effect the supreme court's decision in "obergefell vs. Hodges" had on the state's marriage licensing statutes. In the third, it represented 53 of tennessee's 137 legislators in connection with litigation in which the interpretation of tennessee's birth certificate statute regarding artificial insemination was at issue. Fact published 49 editions of a weekly electronic newsletter, "five minutes for families", reaching on average around 16,000 people per edition. It provides an original commentary by our president, a summary of latest news stories involving cultural and policy issues in tennessee and across the nation, and announcements regarding various educational events. In addition to the electronic newsletter, fact produced 52 editions of "the fact report", a weekly radio news and commentary piece that is available both online and also heard on radio networks reaching 70 of tennessee's 95 counties.