How to Help Nashville
The devastating floods and tornadoes across central Tennessee have killed dozens and left hundreds more displaced. We identified the five best ways to help right now—from volunteering time, to donating food, clothes, and money.
Darius Jackson, 15, wades through chest-deep water after trying to reach his mother's ground-floor apartment in the Marina Manor complex. (Les Neuhaus, Sipa Press / Newscom)
• The Nashville Area Red Cross is in need of financial support to continue providing relief to victims of local disaster flooding. The American Red Cross is not a government agency. All disaster assistance is free, and is funded solely by local donations here and are in need of volunteers to sign up here.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is accepting monetary donations to help provide food to displaced families here.
• The Salvation Army Nashville Area Command is providing meals, beverages and snacks to those in need in addition to emotional and spiritual care. Items of particular need are socks, underwear, t-shirts, hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, paper products. They can be sent to several locations found here as well as monetary contributions here.
• Hands on Nashville is contacting flood volunteers as safe volunteer opportunities are made available by the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management. Volunteers are contacted on an as needed basis here and donate here.
• The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, is collecting donations to support flood relief, restoration and clean-up efforts in Davidson County through the Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund. It has also activated its Tennessee Emergency Response Fund to help communities in need beyond Davidson County. Donations can be made online to both funds here or by calling (615) 321-4939.