Today’s post hits extremely close to home for me. If you’ve been following the news, then you knowNashville recently got hit by a destructive tornado. Which is why today’s post is going to be all about how you can help the tornado victims in Nashville.
I’ve lived in Nashville for 10 years. It is a place that gives you all the”feels”. The”home away from home feels”. Nashville is one of the “IT” cities for a reason. The same reason I can’t fathom raising a family anywhere else. Because Nashville is my home.
As an unofficial Nashville native of 10 years, I experienced one of Nashville’s most destructive natural disasters: the flood of May 1, 2010. It devastated our city. Fast forward to today’s date, March 3, 2020; an eerily reminiscent natural disaster on an extremely different level.
Last night while most of us were sleeping an unexpectedly powerful F-3 tornado swept through the heart of our city with winds up to 160 mph. Once again, 10 years after the infamous Nashville flood, shockwaves rippled through our community, as we woke up to the horrific news.
This time it was particularly shocking because of the amount of damage done in such a small amount of time, at night when so many people were unaware of the dangers.
Like many Nashvillians have shared on social media, we slept through it or at least parts of it. Embarrassingly enough, even the sirens didn’t really wake me or cause me too much worry. Unfortunately, if you have lived through a tornado season in Nashville, you tend to become immune to a lot of the weather watches and warnings. The threat of severe storms or tornadoes is a normal part of Nashville weather; which most of the time the warnings are bigger than the bite. But there are always exceptions, and earlier today was one of those exceptions.
Mr. Rogers said when he was a boy, he would see scary things in the news, and his mother would say to him, “Look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.” And if Nashville is anything, it’s a community of helpers and resilience. After all, Tennessee IS the Volunteer state.
I’m confident Nashville will rebuild because this is not our first rodeo. The weather’s destruction has completely submerged and destroyed parts of Nashville before; but it didn’t destroy Nashville’s spirit.
I am mind blown by the outpouring of support, love and willingness to help with the Nasville tornadoes relief effort. It is astounding; and trust me, we are encouraged and beyond grateful. From the moment I awoke to the tragic news, the messages and texts from my friends and family have been non-stop. This endless love and continual support is why I have hope for Nashville this morning. I am certain our community will come together to show that there is good amongst the bad.
As we pick up the pieces together, thank you. Thank you for caring. Thank you for doing. So many historical pieces and places in Nashville are demolished; our old neighborhood in Germantown is one of them, along with East Nashville and outside areas of Mt. Juliet, Hermitage, Putnam County. Pray for us. Pray for our city. Because I believe prayer is powerful; even more powerful than 160 mph winds.
Photo Credit: These Nashville tornadoes photos are from Katie Creekmur, Cordero Moyer and an unknown source circulating on social media, I do not claim ownership of these photos. If you own any them please message me so I can give you proper credit.
How to Help the Nashville Tornado Victims
Where to Go? Who is Offering Help?
- The Hyatt Place in Brentwood is offering an emergency distress rate to those displaced by the tornado.
- Shelters are set up at Centennial Sportsplex, Nashville Farmers Market and East High School. In addition, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance is opening a mobile claims unit with insurance providers at the Sportsplex.
- Airbnb Open Homes – Disaster relief is offering free, temporary housing to people who need a place to call home where you can donate your home or rooms and also find a place.
- Rabbit has charging stations set up at Red Cross disaster relief locations to help charge you’re electronics.
- Lyft is offering a discount for those needing to get to a shelter with code NASHRELIEF20 for $15 per ride for two rides.
- Bridgestone Arena is offering free pizza for people needing lunch.
- Bongo East and Brightside Bakeshop have been offering free coffee and pastries all day.
- Dino’s Nashville is opening at 4 pm to provide a safe place and warm meals.
- The Grilled Cheeserie will be outside of Hunter’s Station offering free sandwiches later this morning.
- Baked on 8th will be donating all of its profits this month to Hands on Nashville, the Community Resource Center and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
- Black Tie Moving is deploying at fleet of trucks and crews to help move belongings out of damaged homes. Call 6150900-2641
- Multiple people are offering to babysit. Check out the crisis response on Facebook.
Displaced Animals: The Nashville Humane Association has supplies available to help such as crates, food, blankets, leashes, collars and other basic supplies at their headquarters at 213 Oceola Avenue near the intersection of White Bridge Road and Charlotte Pike. Metro Animal Care and control officers are helping lost animals. Most shelters will also accept people along with their dogs.
The Nashville USBG — a 501c3 not-for-profit team of hospitality educators — has organized a GoFundMe, with plans to direct donations toward service industry professionals in need of “assistance with medical bills, loss of employment or home damage, and funeral costs for the families of our community who have lost lives in last night’s natural disaster.”
How can you help with the Nashville Tornadoes Relief Effort?
DONATE. The best way you can help is through monetary donations.Where? Here are a few great places….
Monetary Donations:
- Music City Inc. Foundation (https://secure.visitmusiccity.com/registration/tornadorelief.aspx Venmo or PayPal at donate@visitmusiccity.com)
- Love Live Nashville, one of my favorite non profit organizations is taking donations. Taylor is an angel. Make sure to follow their Facebook for updates.
- Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee– Nashville Severe Weather. (also give them a follow on Twitter for UTD into) Seriously this is my GO TO for weather alerts, I don’t trust anyone else. They were up all night trying to keep us safe and informed. You guys are awesome!
- Community Resource Center ( located at 218 Omohundro Pl, Nashville, TN 37210.located at 218 Omohundro Pl, Nashville, TN 37210.)
- The Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium and others are open, and many will be collecting donations from audience members.
Clean Up Volunteering: Currently they are asking you stay off the streets as it is a very dangerous situation. When they announce it’s safe here are options:
- Hands On Nashville –fill out this form via their sign up page
- Electronic Express is organizing a volunteer group
- Sign up here for the Mt Juliet tornado clean up
Donating Blood:Red Cross of Nashville
Clothing/Food Drives and Drop Offs: –
- Mitch Warren – State Farm is taking supplies and donations ie. water, diapers, shoes, hygiene products, dog food and much more. Drop off is 165 Indian Lake Blvd. Hendersonville, TN
- Centennial Sportplex is taking non perishables and bottled drinks.-
- Nashville Humane Society is taking food, leashes, crates, and treats for displaced fur babies.
- American Red Cross is accepting donations at the following locations for water, clean towels, blankets and catered food (they do NOT need clothing, dog food or cat food): – East High School at 110 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206 Victory Baptist Church at 1777 Tate Ln, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122 Highland Heights Church of Christ at 505 North Cumberland Street, Lebanon TN 37087-2307
- Empire Realty is accepting items like above at 905 Buchanon Street.- WNDC Dream Streets Food Truck (Back door open)
- Cross Point Church Bellevue is accepting a supply drop off of water bottles, non perishable snacks, bread, peanut butter, flash lights, industrial garbage bags, work gloves, hand sanitizer, old towels, coloring books/crayons, box cutters
How Else to Help: Consider bringing food to our local volunteers, firefighters, and police. These people selflessly give up their time to help others in need.- If you have extra room please think about offering those in need a place to stay. Imagine how it would feel to lose everything you own in an instant.*** For updates on closings, community support, and more information, go to WKRN for UTD donation/volunteer needs and visitmusiccity.com/nashvillestrong. Please share on social media.
If you have any additional information about donations etc please email me at nashvillewifestyles@gmail.com
Do you know any tornado victims who need help? Let me know in a comment below!
Pin this Nashville Tornadoes relief post to share awareness!
