Updated on March 11, 2020
A series of powerful tornadoes ripped through middle Tennessee early March 3, killing at least twenty-five people and devastating parts of Nashville, including the Germantown neighborhood, North Nashville, East Nashville, and Donelson, before moving east to Wilson and Putnam counties. We’ll continue to update the list of relief efforts, resources, and ways to help from near and far.
This local organization is looking for both civilian volunteers to help deliver food and supplies and mental health professionals to help North Nashville residents cope with trauma and loss.
This nonprofit serves as Middle Tennessee’s volunteer resource center. They’ve compiled a list of volunteer opportunities and are accepting donations.
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
The Community Foundation’s Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund Grants are allocated to local nonprofits providing vital services throughout the city. They are accepting donations here.
This Nashville center is accepting donated goods, particularly personal hygiene items, bleach, trash bags, gloves, and box cutters.
This local bakery is donating its profits throughout the month of March to Hands on Nashville, the Community Resource Center, and other local nonprofits.
Tornado Relief Fund for Service Industry Workers
The Nashville Bartenders Guild has organized a GoFundMe page, and donations will be directed toward food and beverage service industry professionals who are in need of assistance with medical bills, home damage, as well as funeral costs for the families of community members who lost loved ones.
The society is helping to recover lost animals in partnership with the Metro Animal Care and Control, as well as providing supplies. They are accepting monetary donations.
Virginia-based non-profit Mercy Chefs has deployed to the area to serve hot meals to victims and first responders.
Boone, North Carolina-based Samaritan’s Purse is gathering volunteers to dispatch to Cookeville, Mt. Juliet, and Nashville to aid cleanup efforts. Sign up to volunteer here.
Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief
This alliance of Baptist churches is organizing teams of volunteers and accepting donations for relief efforts.
The Grammy-winning country singer Kacey Musgraves paired with Stage to Closet to sell clothing items from her performances, and proceeds will go to relief efforts. Read more here.
Photos of Adrien Saporiti’s “I Believe in Nashville” mural have been circulating since the storms. Painted on an outside wall of the hard-hit Basement East music venue, Saporiti’s mural is now being printed on t-shirts, with all proceeds donated to relief efforts through March. Learn more here.
An all-star lineup of musicians including Old Crow Medicine Show, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Sheryl Crow, and Brothers Osborne performed a sold-out benefit at Marathon Music Works, raising some $500,000 for To Nashville, with Love, a fund established by music industry vets. Donations are still being accepted here.
Mercy Lounge is hosting a benefit show Sunday, March 15, featuring Caroline Spence, Sam Outlaw, Great Peacock, and more. Tickets are available here, and all proceeds will go to the Community Foundation’s Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund.
Other large-scale national organizations:
American Red Cross Tennessee is accepting monetary donations and is organizing to be able to accept donated goods in the near future. They suggest that volunteers visit or call the Community Resource Center at 218 Omohundro Place or call them at 615-291-6688 to see how best they can help. To participate in their blood drive, enter your zip code here to find the nearest site.
Direct Relief is a nationwide organization that works with hospitals and healthcare providers to get medicine and supplies to disaster victims.
—Compiled by Caroline Sanders, Lindsey Liles, and Emma Witmer
>> Also see: A Dispatch from East Nashville
