So Nashville Is Flooded… How Can I Help? [Flood 2010]

Morgan Levy

Nashville is under water, and we all want to help. This is a working post of donation and volunteer opportunities that are currently available, with needs being added and updated by the minute. If you have a volunteer or donation opportunity, please leave information in the comments or email us at tips@nashvillest.com to have it added to this list. And remember, folks: As much as we all want to get out and help, it’s very important to go about it in an organized, safe way. Plenty of our neighbors and friends are in need of food, clothing, shelter, water pumps and more. Start in your own neighborhood!

All Metro Nashville official relief efforts will run through Hands On Nashville. Go HERE to sign up to be notified when volunteer opportunities are approved by the city, and follow them @HONashville for minute-by-minute updates. All relief efforts must go through Hands On Nashville to receive FEMA aid. From Hands On Nashville:

As the case in any disaster, the recovery phase is the longest part of the experience, and one that requires a strong and sustained effort from volunteers.  While the events of the past 48 hours have created a sense of urgency, the real effects of volunteers are going to be felt through the rest of this week and month as we do the nitty-gritty work of cleaning, rebuilding, and restoring.


I HAVE MONEY

  • The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee: In partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, donate online to the Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund and/or the Tennessee Emergency Relief Fund HERE (checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 440225, Nashville, TN, 37244).
  • Middle Tennessee Red Cross: Donate online at www.nashvilleredcross.org, by phone at 615-250-4300 or by mail at 2201 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203. Remember, the Red Cross is not a government agency and is funded solely by your local donations.
  • Second Harvest Food Bank: Give a monetary donation to our superstar food bank HERE.
  • Salvation Army: Monetary donations are preferred and can be made online HERE or by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
  • First Tennessee Bank: First Tennessee has pledged to match donations made by employees and customers, dollar for dollar, up to $250,000. Donations can be made at any First Tennessee Bank location.
  • Kroger, Dollar General, Whole Foods: Accepting donations at checkout.

I HAVE STUFF

  • Graceworks Ministries: Graceworks is working with the Red Cross to collect donations for flood victims. They are in need of financial gifts, non-perishable food items (soup, crackers, pasta), bottled water, toilet paper, cleaning products, toothbrushes, shampoo, household items, furniture, baby items and gently used clothing (please separate by gender and age). Drop off donations at 104 Southeast Parkway, Franklin TN.
  • Shelters: There are Red Cross shelters at Lipscomb University, Gordon Jewish Community Center, Al Menah Shrine Center and People’s Church (Franklin). Most shelters are overwhelmed by donations, so please verify their needs before you dump a truck full of beef jerky on them. Common needs for shelters are bottled water, blankets, pillows, socks, underwear and clean clothing.
  • Salvation Army: The Salvation Army suffered losses just like the rest of us. They are in need of clean-up kit items (mops, brooms, heavy duty work gloves, masks, sponges, squeegees, scrub brushes, plastic gloves, bleach, all-purpose cleaner concentrate, trash bags, paper towels and cases of bottled water), Hygiene & personal care kit items (socks, underwear, t-shirts, shampoo conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc), paper products and diapers. Drop off at 425 Neelys Bend Rd, Madison (10am-7pm), 611 Stockell St (9am-6:30pm) or 631 Dickerson Pike (8am-6pm).
  • The Crag at Cool Springs: Drop point for donated goods to be taken to Graceworks (see needs above).
  • Trevecca Nazarine University: Group is taking food, water, first aid and toiletries to flooded neighbors around the university. If you’re in the area and want to help distribute, call Dan at 941-518-6740. Drop off donations at the Boone Business Building.
  • Golden Skin Care: Golden Skin Care is collecting donations of sunscreen for flood relief volunteers. Drop off donations at 2000 Richard Jones Rd. in Green Hills.
  • Christ Church: Christ Church (15354 Old Hickory Blvd) is collecting and distributing bottled water, new clothes and cleaning supplies.
  • Flavour Clothing: Drop site for toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, box fans, cleaning supplies, diapers and nonperishable staple food items. 1522 Demonbreun Street.
  • CREMA: Taking donations for Tent City survivors. Drop off items in the parking lot behind CREMA (15 Hermitage Ave), need tents, stoves, sleeping bags, tarps and clothing.
  • GracePointe: Drop site for Graceworks, collecting soup, crackers and underwear specifically. 1213 Country Road, Franklin.
  • On The Go: Needs donations of bottled water (cases), goggles with no vent holes, gloves, N-95 respirators, trash bags, cleaning supplies, RVs and trailers to house short term team members, interns and volunteers through August.
  • The Anchor Fellowship: Drop site for socks, toiletries, underclothing, summer clothes all sizes, bedding, fungal cream, water, feminine products (7am-7am, 629 3rd Ave S.). They are distributing items to the community as fast as they get them.
  • Donate Nashville: We’ve worked alongside members of the Nashville tech community, Cool People Care and the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville to develop a Craigslist-style tool to hook up people who have stuff with other people who need it. Read more about it here.

I HAVE TIME

  • Hands On Nashville: Again, all Metro Nashville relief efforts are running through Hands On Nashville. Sign up to be notified of official city volunteer opportunities HERE, and expect the opportunities to increase in volume as the waters recede and the city is able to assess the damage.
  • Samaritan’s Purse: Samaritan’s Purse has deployed an emergency unit to Nashville and is working on assessing the damage and connecting with local churches. Sign up HERE (select “Nashville TN Flood Relief”) to volunteer with them.
  • Second Harvest Food Bank: Contact volunteer@secondharvestmidtn.org to help prepare and transport meals for the Salvation Army and Red Cross. You can also stay updated on their current volunteer opportunities via Twitter @2HarvestMidTN.
  • Graceworks Ministries: Contact cdublin@graceworksministries.net for volunteer opportunities. They will need help sorting & processing donations for the Red Cross.
  • Cross Point: Meeting in Bellevue center (7669 HWY 70 South) lobby every day at 9am to send teams out to nearby neighborhoods. Can take hundreds of volunteers every day. Focusing on Bellevue neighborhoods now, but will move to other West Nashville neighborhoods in the coming days. Bring box fans, lysol, gloves, masks, cleaning supplies, tarps, water, contractor trash bags, wheelbarrow, plastic bins or boxes and dehumidifiers to donate.
  • Soles4Souls: Soles4Souls has generously donated 20,000 pair of shoes and boots to families and workers in need. They’re going to need help distributing these shoes, so call Isabelle at 615.391.5723 to volunteer in the coming days. And as always, they could use your monetary donations if you feel so inclined: Donate here.
  • ArtHouse Gardens: Teams are being organized to help neighbors who need furniture moved, debris bagged up or removed, help getting things out of water’s way or cleaning up once it’s gone. To help or receive help from 9-3 every day, call Catherine at ArtHouse Gardens at 828-9223.
  • Oasis Church: Oasis Church is putting together teams to meet the needs of the community. If you would like to volunteer with them, email linda.trotter@oasischurch.tv and give your name, address, phone number, email address, specific skills, resources and materials you can provide, and your time availability. They will put you to work!
  • Convoy of Hope: Convoy of Hope has hit the ground running in Nashville, with four mobile trailers arriving in town today. To apply to volunteer with them (you will help distribute goods to communities in need), click HERE and fill out the Disaster Relief Volunteer Application.
  • On The Go: Taking teams of volunteers to help distribute, clean, assist, pack, deliver, and provide services for needy in the area. To join up with On The Go, call or email at 615-299-0222 and IWantToHelp@onthego.org.
  • Donate Nashville: In addition to hooking people up with the stuff they need, Donate Nashville also allows people to list the times that they’re available to volunteer and search the requests for help that other folks have posted. Read more about it here.

I HAVE THE INTERNET

LAST UPDATED: May 5, 2am

Photo by president_raygun.