In the wake of Tuesday morning's deadly tornadoes, Middle Tennesseans have come together to help their neighbors dig out from the destruction.
Recovery will of course take weeks, but there's no time like the present to get started. We'll keep a running list of volunteer opportunities here, updating it as we learn more. Feel free to drop any others in the comments. We can't promise we'll add your info to the main post, but it will certainly get eyeballs.
The Lowe's stores at 7034 Charlotte Pike, 3460 Dickerson Pike and 5025 Old Hickory Boulevard, along with the Lebanon and Cookeville locations, will be distributing donated recovery supplies starting at 10 a.m.
Free mental health services are also available for victims. Sign-up is here.
The list is broken out by area.
Community-wide
Hands On Nashville: Register online to be a volunteer (more than 5,000 people did Tuesday). Cleanup events are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, March 7 and 8, in two time blocks each day: from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. HON has updated its volunteer-opportunities page, which you can see here.
Community Resource Center: Donate items at the CRC at 218 Omohundro Place. In particular, the CRC is looking for flashlights, batteries, baby food and formula, new baby bottles, box cutters, over-the-counter meds, new socks, underwear and trash cans.
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee: CFMT's tornado fund raised more than $350,000 on day one. Donate here.
Zeal Church: The church at 5807 Charlotte Pike near the White Bridge Road intersection is organizing volunteer teams Friday and Saturday. Check the church's Facebook page for times and information.
Cumberland River Compact: The CRC is also organizing volunteer teams. Email Gray Perry at gray.perry@cumberlandrivercompact.org.
Samaritan's Purse: The North Carolina group is heading to town this weekend. Sign up to help on their site.
North Nashville/Germantown
Gideon's Army: Gideon's Army is coordinating numerous volunteer opportunities jumping off at various locations. Check the list. You can also donate to Gideon's Army. Gideon's Army is also one of many groups organizing the #DontSellOutNorf event, a community clean-up and canvass starting at Lee Chapel. You can sign up here for that. They also launched a long-term disaster relief website that includes an updated list of needed resources, news and links to volunteer opportunities. Find it here.
Lee Chapel AME Church: The church at 1200 D.B. Todd Blvd. is serving as a gathering point for volunteers, but is also taking donations. Items of particular needs are tarps, plywood 2-by-4s, nails, screws, water, nonperishable food items, candles, flashlights and lanterns, matches and lighters, and batteries of all sizes.
Watkins College: Watkins students are organizing ad hoc cleanup groups. Meet at the D.B. Todd and Knowles Street intersection.
Nashville Rescue Mission: The mission's location on Rosa Parks Avenue is without power. Until power is restored, the following items are needed: individually wrapped sandwiches, sandwich-making supplies and individually packaged fruit cups, chips and drinks; batteries, flashlights, bath towels and battery-operated fans.
McGruder Family Resource Center: The center at 2013 25th Ave. N. needs diapers, baby food, tarps, trash bags, flashlights and batteries. Help with a generator would also be appreciated.
Cheatham Place and Andrew Jackson Courts: MDHA officials are taking donations of supplies and gift cards, along with coordinating volunteers at the community centers at 1564 Ninth Avenue North and 1457 Jackson Street.
Wilson County
Mt. Juliet Police are asking people to register to volunteer online as they continue to assess damage. The Lebanon Police Department is also coordinating cleanup efforts and will be bussing volunteers into affected areas. Check the City of Lebanon's Facebook page for more information.
Putnam County
In hard-hit Putnam County, search-and-rescue efforts are ongoing. The county is asking volunteers to email helpnow@putnamcounty.gov; officials will reach out once needs have been assessed.
