As soon as the sun came up on the parts of North Nashville devastated by an early-morning tornado on March 3, we learned how vital it is for a community organization to have deep roots in the neighborhoods it serves before a disaster strikes. After years spent working in North Nashville schools and dispatching its Violence Interrupters into neighborhood streets, Gideon’s Army had established credibility and connections in an area that was suddenly in desperate need. The group’s members quickly took charge of the recovery effort, collecting and distributing donated resources, coordinating volunteers and helping residents resist predatory developers looking to take advantage of the destruction. In the face of loss and confusion, North Nashvillians had an army on their side. STEVEN HALE
Best Community Organization
Gideon’s Army
Photo: Eric England
