MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- They say music has the power to bring people together and bridge cultural divides. This past year, the Overton Park Shell leaned into just that. "We believe that music is a natural connector and a unifier," Executive Director Natalie Wilson said. "We can bring us together through music and the arts, and go into a community that maybe has been divided. Maybe it's been lacking resources." They used a 40-foot replica of their historic stage on wheels."You put music on it. The sound and the lights are activated. People come naturally out of their homes and into their community," Wilson said.Wilson said they created the Shell on Wheels to expand their reach. Even though a majority of the concerts are free, getting to Midtown can be a problem for families in other parts of the city. In 2023, they hit the road. In 2024, Shell on Wheels traveled to new neighborhoods. They went to 20 zip codes in all, visiting communities plagued with high poverty, violence, racial disparities, and food insecurities."This is an ability to bring partners that are doing incredible work already with us, such as Literacy Mid-South," she said. "Why can't we bring them with us? We bring the music and the stage. We bring the experience, and we bring partners that bring services to communities that we want to serve together." This past year, Wilson said the mobile stage helped deliver wraparound services too. They partnered with more schools and nonprofits than ever before."We have been able to work with a lot of amazing nonprofits here.  We've been able to plug in on a lot of big events like Douglass's Juneteenth," Shell's Outreach Manager Yolanda Kelly said. "We have been able to do the Raleigh Bicentennial Celebration. Big things in the city."Kelly said the mobile stage has amplified their work and the good in Memphis. "I've seen the stage from when we first started and what it is now. It's sometimes still so shocking to me that people enjoy it the way that they do," Kelly said. This year, Shell on Wheels brought music to 23,000 attendees. 📡 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. 📧 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. Next year, the goal is to continue to go into more neighborhoods, hit even more zip codes, and use the music as a catalyst to bring more resources. "I think it's something that can transform a community," Wilson said. "There is never a time more than now. Our city and our nation need unifying activities and creative place-making to give us hope in each other and hope in our community." Learn More The mobile Shell is available for rental for corporate events, family gatherings, nonprofit fundraising events, festivals, and more. Those rentals and donations help fuel the mobile stage's mission. To learn more: click here. The Overton Park Shell is looking for somewhere safe to store the mobile stage. If you have any ideas, please contact the nonprofit. You can find the contact information on their home page.