*This story has been updated 01/14/2022 to include a fourth round of grant funding from the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund.
Gifts to Tennessee Emergency Response Fund already total more than $2.8M
Nashville, Tenn. — The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) announces its first round of grants totaling $335,000 to area nonprofits and organizations helping those affected by the deadly flooding in Humphreys, Dickson, Houston and Hickman counties on Aug. 21.
CFMT activated its Tennessee Emergency Response Fund within hours of the catastrophic rains and flooding that moved over this region. The natural disaster took the lives of 20 people and heavily damaged and/or destroyed homes, businesses, schools, and roads.
The initial round of immediate relief grants was made available on September 9, 2021 to support the following 11 organizations active in the August 2021 Flood recovery and relief efforts:
- United Way of Humphreys County in Waverly ($60,000)
- Dickson County Help Center in Dickson ($40,000)
- Bethesda Community Mission Inc. in Erin ($20,000)
- Waverly United Methodist Church in Waverly ($10,000)
- Salter’s Chapel AME Church in Waverly ($10,000)
- Waverly Church of Christ in Waverly ($10,000)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society in McEwen ($10,000)
- Kedron United Methodist Church in Pinewood ($10,000)
- Waverly First Baptist Church in Waverly ($10,000)
- McEwen Church of Christ in McEwen ($10,000)
- Compassion Church in Waverly ($10,000)
A second round of grants was made available October 6, 2021 to the following seven organizations:
- Salvation Army Nashville Area Command ($15,500) to provide matching support for supply purchase for Waverly County schools impacted by August 2021 flooding.
- Helping Hands of Hickman County ($10,000) to provide support for flood survivors in Hickman County.
- Centerville Church of Christ ($25,000) to provide support for recovery of flood survivors in Hickman County.
- Inspiritus Inc. ($20,000) to support disaster relief efforts in Waverly, TN following August 2021 flooding.
- Waverly Cumberland Presbyterian Church ($10,000) to support the service the church provided as the MARC during the immediate relief activity after August 2021 flooding.
- Compassion Church ($30,000) to support housing assistance for August 2021 Flood survivors.
- Josephs Storehouse of Hurricane Mills ($25,000) to provide support to provide food/replenish pantries of Humphreys County flood survivors.
On December 9, 2021, an additional $292,360 in grant funding was dispersed to the following organizations:
- Community Resource Center ($20,000) to support flood relief efforts following the August 2021 Flood in Humphreys County.
- Tennessee Conference United Methodist Church ($163,160) to support flood relief case management following the August 2021 Flood in Humphreys County.
- Humphreys Homeless Coalition ($25,000) to support flood relief efforts following the August 2021 Flood in Humphreys County.
- Wildwood Valley Church of Christ ($20,000) to support flood relief efforts following the August 2021 Flood in Humphreys County.
- Inspiritus, Inc. ($64,200) to support flood relief construction management following the August 2021 Flood in Humphreys County.
On January 14, 2022, and additional $1,223,156.40 of grant funding was dispersed to the following organizations:
- United Way of Humphreys County ($75,000) to support the $5,000 & under non-construction needs of flood survivors in Disaster Case Management.
- United Way of Humphreys County ($100,000) to support the car repair/replacement needs of flood survivors in Disaster Case Management.
- Inspiritus ($750,000) to provide up to $7,500 toward construction, material expenses, and paid labor costs associated with the repair/rebuild of 100 homes in Humphreys County.
- Inspiritus ($48,156.40) to provide additional unmet need support for multiple flood survivor construction repair projects identified through the Unmet Needs Allocation Review.
- Inspiritus ($250,000) to support construction and volunteer management staffing for 1 year to oversee the repair/rebuild of flood survivor homes identified through the Disaster Case Management.
Grants from the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund provide funding to nonprofits and faith-based organizations that have boots on the ground assisting flood survivors with their immediate needs. These services include direct financial assistance, food, temporary housing, debris clean-up, animal sheltering and counseling and mental health services. Funding will also be provided to organizations helping with survivors’ long-term recovery needs such as FEMA registration help, insurance mediation, legal aid, and the repairing and rebuilding of homes.
Totals from donations continue to build thanks to support from both small donors and from more high-profile business and entertainment entities such as the Grand Ole Opry, Tennessee Titans, the Humana Foundation, Baker Donelson, Regions Bank, ACM Lifting Lives, McDonald’s, Trisha Yearwood, Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lauren Alaina, Margo Price, Don Schlitz, Rodney Crowell, Big Kenny, Sarah Buxton, and Craig Campbell. More grassroots efforts have come from the likes of Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, The Basement East, and the Steve Pearl Band in conjunction with Music Row recording studio Ocean Way.
An acoustic benefit concert Wednesday night at Marathon Music Works — featuring Morgan Wallen, Dierks Bentley, Cole Swindell and many other acts — raised $835,000 for survivors of the August flooding. The sold-out show attracted enthusiastic young fans buying merchandise as well as making their marks as budding philanthropists.
Pictured (L-R): Rondal Richardson, Senior Entertainment and Donor Relations Liaison, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee; Theo Von; Morgan Wallen; Amy Fair, Vice President of Donor Services, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee; Chris Johnson, Big Loud. Photo: David Lehr
Once again, Tennesseans have far and away reached out to show support for their neighbors, and gifts have come in from 49 different states and Australia, Canada, England, and Puerto Rico to bolster those who are still reeling from the flooding.
“The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee team has been involved in the barrage of disasters Middle Tennessee has faced in the past 18 months, just as we have since 1993,” said Amy Fair, Vice President of Donor Services at The Community Foundation. “The lessons learned can help continue to strengthen recovery efforts. And especially, we know from working through a recent tornado, a bombing, and now two floods, that recovering from a disaster is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Donations made to the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund go back out to into our community, meaning The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee does not take any fees from gifts made to this Fund, with the exception of the fees incurred from the credit card companies.
About The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
The Community Foundation exists to promote and facilitate giving in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee and beyond. It does this by accepting gifts of any size from anyone at any time and by empowering individuals, families, companies, nonprofits, and communities to respond to needs and opportunities that matter. The Community Foundation works with people who have great hearts, whether or not they have great wealth, to craft solutions that reflect the intentions and goals of their charitable endeavors. For more information, call 615-321-4939 .
