The Visionaries Behind the Sanctuary: Honoring Our Founders
Building a place where "the one time of day they’re not harassed" became a daily reality for Louisville’s women and children.
In 2016, two friends—Amy Meredith and Andrea Scott—saw a gap in our city that others ignored: the dangerous vulnerability women face on the streets during the day. Today, we honor the founders who turned a radical conversation into a lifeline for thousands.
A Mission Born of Listening
The story of UP began when Andrea, working with formerly homeless women, realized a haunting truth: for women experiencing trauma, the daylight hours can be the most dangerous. While night shelters offered a bed, the "daytime gap" left women and children wandering streets and parks—exposed to constant harassment and exhaustion.
Andrea brought this urgent need to Amy, whose background in business development provided the framework to turn a passion project into a professional reality. Together, they didn't just want to provide a service; they wanted to provide a sanctuary.
From Grassroots Vision to Community Pillar
The duo spent 2017 conducting needs assessments and speaking directly with women living on the streets to ensure their voices led the way. Their partnership moved mountains:
2017: Founded Uniting Partners (UP) for Women and Children and secured 501c3 status.
2018: Partnered with Christ Church Cathedral and opened the doors to Louisville’s first trauma-informed day shelter.
The Growth: What began as a joint leap of faith grew into a seven-figure pillar of the Louisville nonprofit community.
"The One Time of Day They’re Not Harassed"
When the Courier-Journal profiled UP, they captured the essence of the founders' mission: providing a space where the weight of the world could be set down at the door. Under Amy’s continued leadership following Andrea's transition in 2021, UP became the place for basic human dignities—showers, laundry, and mail—that serve as the first steps toward stability.
"The leadership lessons that changed me most weren't found in conference rooms... They were found in the moments I stood alongside women who had lost their ability to ask for help—women at the lowest points of their lives, often unseen and unheard." — Amy Meredith, Co-Founder
A Legacy of Compassion and Conviction
As a 2025 Louisville Business First Most Admired CEO, Amy’s leadership style has always been people-first, carrying forward the "Uniting Partners" philosophy she and Andrea established. Though both founders have transitioned to new chapters—Andrea to her family and Amy to writing and consulting—their DNA remains in every corner of UP. They taught us that to truly help someone, you must first acknowledge their inherent worth.
Carry the Torch Forward
Amy and Andrea built the foundation; now it is up to us to sustain the house. Join us in honoring our founders' years of service by ensuring that no woman or child in Louisville has to spend their day in the shadows.