City of Nashville & Davidson County Join Nonprofits to Provide Response and Recovery Efforts for Historic Downtown Area

Header photo credit: Ray Di Pietro

The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Office of Emergency Management, and Nashville/Davidson County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) are working together to provide immediate assistance to individuals impacted by the tragedy on Friday, December 25 in downtown Nashville.

With the city’s focus of quickly identifying businesses, employees of those affected businesses, and residents who lived in the damaged historic downtown structures, members of the VOAD have been identified based on their areas of expertise to assist in moving the recovery efforts downtown forward. This group of local nonprofits has been working closely since the incident to organize and mobilize resources and assistance by individuals and families affected.

Resources Available for Survivors

- Nashville Strong Assistance Fund
  Catholic Charities will provide assistance to those who live or work in the explosion perimeter area in the historic downtown area, through a specially funded program. An online application for assistance is live and can can be accessed from the following web site: nashvillestrong2021.org. Those who are unable to access the online application can call (615) 352-3087.
- hubNashville
  For assistance from Metro Nashville Davidson County Government, affected individuals should visit hub.nashville.gov, use the hubNashville 311 app or call 311.
- Food Assistance
  Individuals in need of emergency food assistance can text ‘FEEDS’ to 797979 or visit www.secondharvestmidtn.org/get-help to access Second Harvest’s Find Food tool to locate the nearest food distribution, including Emergency Food Box sites in Davidson County. For additional assistance, individuals can call 2-1-1.
- Housing and Immediate Needs
  The American Red Cross of Tennessee is providing assistance for those displaced from their home, apartment or townhouse. Those needing assistance should contact the Red Cross at 800-RED-CROSS to help with their immediate needs, which may include food, shelter, clothing, health and mental health services, community referrals and recovery assistance.
- Assistance for Spanish Speakers
  Spanish speakers impacted can call Conexión Americas at (615) 270-9252 for assistance beginning on Monday, January 4, 2021.
- Resource and Referral Line
  Individuals in need of assistance can contact United Way of Greater Nashville’s 24-hour resource and referral line for help by dialing 211 or visiting 211.org. Note: To qualify for financial assistance, survivors will need to provide proof of employment or residency in the direct impacted area.
- Employment Resources:
  The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce a list of available employment resources including job opportunities and information on unemployment benefits, plus resources for businesses.
- Business + Resident Federal Disaster Loans: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced the U.S. Small Business Administration will make its disaster loan program available in Davidson County for eligible applicants impacted in the Dec. 25, 2020, downtown Nashville bombing.The SBA declaration also makes loans available in the contiguous counties of of Cheatham, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson.Survivors should contact the SBA’s Disaster Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 for assistance in completing their loan applications. Requests for SBA disaster loan program information may be obtained by emailing FOCE-Help@sba.gov. The SBA will conduct extensive outreach to ensure that those affected by the disaster have an opportunity to apply for assistance.
  The SBA has opened a Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center to help survivors apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via the SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan@sba.gov. Virtual customer support representatives are available to help applicants complete the online application during these hours:
  
  Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center (VDLOC)
  
  Open: Monday – Sunday (7 days/week)
  
  Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern Time
  
  Email: FOCE-Help@sba.gov
  
  Phone: (800) 659-2955
  
  Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
  
  Interest rates are as low as 3 percent for businesses, 2 percent for nonprofit organizations, and
  1.125 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years.
  
  Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
  
  Loan applications can also be downloaded at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the Disaster Loan Outreach Centers or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
  
  The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is March 29, 2021. The deadline to return economic injury applications Oct. 28, 2021.
- Trauma Resources
- Legal Assistance
  - Free Legal Assistance Available for Bombing Survivors: The Nashville Bar Association, Tennessee Alliance for Legal
    Services, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, and the Tennessee Bar Association are hosting a free legal clinic on Friday, January 15 for survivors of Christmas Day bombing.Individuals and businesses facing legal issues as a result of the bombing may also call 615-953-4961. Callers should identify that they are seeking bombing related legal assistance and be prepared to provide a phone number where they can be reached by an attorney. Examples of legal assistance available include:
    • Assistance with property insurance claims;
    • Questions regarding debt and bankruptcy issues;
    • Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
    • Replacement of wills and other important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster;
    • Consumer protection issues such as price-gouging and avoiding contractor scams in the rebuilding process; and
    • Counseling on landlord-tenant issues.

How Community Members Can Help

Donate

United Way of Greater Nashville is partnering with Mayor John Cooper’s office to accept gifts to its Restore the Dream Fund which will provide long-term disaster recovery support to nonprofits for the survivors. People who wish to donate may visit www.unitedwaygreaternashville.org or text RESTORE20 to 41444.
The Salvation Army – Nashville Area Command believes “we are stronger together” and is assisting survivors with urgent needs of food, transportation, and healthcare through Kroger Gift Cards, UBER Rides and UBER Eats. Gifts can be made in support of this disaster response at www.salvationarmynashville.org.
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville provides a range of services that help clients through crises and toward self-sufficiency. Services include emergency financial assistance, counseling, job training, housing stability, hunger relief, and more. Gifts in support of their disaster relief efforts can be made at www.cctenn.org.
Community Resource Center of Nashville will be actively engaged with long-term recovery efforts to provide basic essentials, clothing, household goods, and iscollecting items to assist with debris removal, clean up and first responder needs.
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Nashville Neighbors Fund, established in partnership with WTVF-NewsChannel5, is accepting gifts to provide services to both the immediate and long-term needs of survivors affected by the Christmas Day tragedy.

Volunteer

Hands On Nashville is recruiting volunteers to help with disaster relief and recovery efforts, including cleanup and distribution of essential items to survivors and first responders. Visit hon.org to register as a volunteer or find a disaster-relief project.

About the Nashville/Davidson County VOAD
The Nashville/Davidson County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) provides the framework for successful preparation and activation of nonprofits and private companies to provide essential augmentations for local government’s capacity and available resources during a disaster. The VOAD is a purposeful mechanism that scales up during crisis, strengthens area-wide disaster coordination, and enhances preparedness by sharing information and engaging in joint training.

The current VOAD steering committee includes: