The following is a partial list of flood-relief services, resources and efforts available in the Nashville area. Please post any we have failed to mention online at www.nashvillescene.com, and consult the ongoing lists at the City Paper (www.nashvillecitypaper.com) and Nashvillest (www.nashvillest.com) for more we could not include for space.

SHELTER

  • The American Red Cross already has shelters operating across Middle Tennessee. In Nashville, those include Lipscomb University; the Gordon Jewish Community Center in Bellevue; and the Al Menah Shrine Center. Other locations across Middle Tennessee include Fairview Recreation Center in Fairview; Hazelwood Elementary School in Clarksville; Grace United Methodist Church in Mount Juliet; Smyrna Town Center in Smyrna; College Hills Church of Christ in Lebanon; and the People's Church in Franklin. Check in with www.middletennredcross.org or call 250-4300.
  • Talk about friends in need: On its site, the fledgling Woodbine Farmers Market provides a list of Nashvillians willing to open a spare room to someone displaced by the flood. Some allow pets. Visit www.woodbinefarmersmarket.com or call 977-6543.

FOOD

  • Nashville's invaluable Second Harvest Food Bank, normally one of the first places people turn in such an emergency, was itself closed by floodwaters at its MetroCenter headquarters. The good news: As of Tuesday night, director of operations Greg James says the facility withstood minimal damage and its freezers held firm. Want to help? James says either to sponsor a food drive, give a cash donation, or leave food at the many drop-off points at area grocery stores. Especially needed now: proteins such as canned meats and peanut butter, and water. (329-3491; www.secondharvestmidtn.org)
  • Kroger stores throughout Middle Tennessee are drop-off points for Second Harvest. They're also accepting donations at the register.
  • Not to be outdone, local Publix stores are pitching in by collecting at the register for the Red Cross, making donations of water and juice to Red Cross for their shelters, collecting food for Second Harvest and loaning the food bank two tractor-trailers to help move food into their warehouse.
  • The Salvation Army is providing snacks, meals and beverages to displaced Nashvillians at its two active community relief locations: Bellevue Community Center at 656 Colice Jeanne Road, and Coleman Community Center at 384 Thompson Lane in Woodbine.

RELIEF EFFORTS

  • The first stop for the Volunteer State's citizen army should probably be Hands On Nashville, which coordinates relief and recovery efforts throughout the city — whether the need is advice, strong backs for clean-up and filling sandbags, or delivering food and supplies. Right now, needs include staffers for the just-opened Flood Disaster Information Centers. Go to www.hon.org and start an account. (Also, if you volunteer at an organization that tracks volunteer hours, be sure to sign in and register your hours. A staffer at the mayor's office informs the Scene that FEMA will provide the city some sort of financial reimbursement related to the number of volunteer hours logged.)
  • The Nashville Area Red Cross remains in sore need of donations, which alone fund its relief efforts throughout the area. Call 250-4250; mail a check to 2201 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203; or visit www.middletennredcross.org.
  • The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has created a Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund and a Tennessee Emergency Response Fund to aid area nonprofits in their flood relief and restoration efforts. Donations of any size are welcome. (321-4939; www.cfmt.org)
  • The Franklin-based Christian nonprofit Graceworks Ministries, 104 Southeast Pkwy., pledges to aid displaced Williamson County families in partnership with the Red Cross. Urgent needs include financial donations, nonperishable food items such as soup, pasta and crackers, and gently worn clothing items such as jeans, shorts, and tops/shirts/blouses of all sizes. Call 794-9055 or click on www.graceworksministries.net.
  • Along with badly needed money, the Salvation Army needs socks, underwear, T-shirts, hygiene and cleaning supplies and paper products. Drop-off locations in Davidson County include Magness-Potter Community Center at 611 Stockell St. and the Madison Citadel Corps at 425 Neelys Bend Road. Donate at 1-800-SAL-ARMY or visit www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss/www_uss_nashville_ac.nsf/.
  • Technically, it's not a benefit, except to the benefit of your peace of mind and restoration of spirit — but Cheekwood is opening its gates to all with free admission through Friday, May 7. The 55-acre botanical garden and art museum escaped the flood with no significant damage, and families are encouraged to come and chill. Weekday hours are 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Call 356-8000 for more information.
  • Similarly, the Frist Center is extending its offer of free admission through Sunday, May 9 — the day the museum opens its hotly anticipated Chihuly at the Frist exhibition by glass artist Dale Chihuly. The Frist opens each day at 10 a.m., closing 9 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call 744-3331 for more information.

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

  • The First Tennessee Foundation has divided a $250,000 grant between the Red Cross and Second Harvest. That's not all: It will match customers' gifts up to an additional $250,000 split between the two relief organizations.
  • This Sunday, May 9, for Mother's Day, restaurateur Randy Rayburn is donating 20 percent of your bill at the Sunset Grill in Hillsboro Village to the Community Foundation's Flood Relief Fund. What's more, Rayburn is tithing 10 percent of his profits for the month of May at his restaurants Cabana and Midtown Café along with Sunset Grill. (2001 Belcourt Ave., 386-3663; www.sunsetgrill.com)
  • In addition to donating supplies to the Red Cross and Second Harvest, Dollar General will accept Red Cross donations at the check-out counter.

BENEFITS

  • You don't want to miss WSMV-Channel 4's live on-air telethon Working 4 You: Flood Relief with Vince Gill & Friends, broadcast 7-10 p.m. Thursday, May 6. Gill will be joined by Naomi Judd, Phil Vassar, Bo Bice and others, with proceeds going to the Salvation Army, Second Harvest and the Red Cross.
  • The mighty Jack Silverman Ordeal will play a flood-relief benefit 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 7 at East Nashville's Family Wash, 2038 Greenwood Ave. One hundred percent of proceeds will go to the Community Foundation's Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund.
  • People, when the water turns brown, one band will be found: Diarrhea Planet. The "Ghost With a Boner!!!" punks play a benefit at The End 9 p.m. Saturday, May 8, with Spanish Candles, Powerbrrrd and Bad Cop.
  • In their bid to become the Vince Gill of high-colonic rock, Diarrhea Planet also lend their talents to the 10-band blowout starting 5 p.m. Sunday, May 9, at Rocketown's new temporary location, 522 Fifth Ave. S. Patrons are asked to bring money, food, clothing and cleaning supplies for flood victims. Also on the bill: Heavy Cream, PUJOL, Win Ben Steine's Money, Goodbye Apathy, Alcina and more.

CHURCHES

  • Christ Church Nashville, 15354 Old Hickory Blvd., has formed "Servolution" volunteer teams to help those in need. To help or receive aid, call 834-6171 or click on www.christchurchnashville.org.
  • Cross Point Church, 7669 Hwy. 70 S., is dispatching flood relief teams from its Bellevue campus this Thursday and Friday, May 6 and 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, or to contribute to its flood relief fund, call 298-4422 or visit crosspoint.tv.
  • The downtown First Baptist Church, 108 Seventh Ave. S., is mobilizing disaster response teams to aid afflicted parts of the city. For more information, call 664-6000 or click on www.firstbaptistnashville.org.

HOME ADVICE

  • The University of Tennessee Department of Agriculture has posted a comprehensive guide to flood recovery — from returning to your house to caring for livestock — at www.agriculture.utk.edu/news/releases/2010/10-05-flood.html.
  • Voted the city's best builder/developer by Scene readers in last year's Best of Nashville, Chris Crimmins shares his expertise for free on his blog MeasureTwice (www.chriscrimmins.com). There, he provides posts on "So My House Flooded, Now What?" (Step 1: make sure the gas and electricity are shut off), followed by your "Toolbox for Post-Flood Clean-up" (don't forget the utility knife, drywall saw and Gatorade).

LEGAL & INSURANCE ADVICE

  • To begin FEMA disaster-assistance proceedings, go to www.fema.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA. The website tells what you'll need before you get started.
  • For questions about insurance, call the Department of Commerce and Insurance's operations center at 1-800-342-4029 or email CIS.complaints@tn.gov.
  • At the enormously helpful Flood Help in Nashville (nashvillefloodhelp.blogspot.com), the firm of Dodson, Parker, Behm & Capparella offers plenty of free legal advice, covering everything from obtaining lost Social Security checks to which loans may be available for rebuilding. Pay close attention to the "Beware of Scams" section: "Federal Assistance Programs do not require fees to apply; do not pay anyone 'processing fees' to help you get government grants or loans."
  • Nashville Pro Bono (nashvilleprobono.wordpress.com) passes along tips on free legal advice at Bellevue Community Center and Coleman Community Center through the end of the week. They're also offering a free walk-in clinic on flood-related legal issues 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 12, at 300 Deaderick St.
  • FirstCall Claims (www.firstcallclaims.com) maintains a page of "Action Steps for Property Loss" that walks homeowners through their first responses.

HOMELESS AID

  • Proudly neither an "organization" nor a church, the loosely affiliated The Bridge Bunch passes out meals (some donated by Trader Joe's and The Cheesecake Factory) and items such as thermal bags to the people living in Tent City under the Jefferson Street Bridge. A schedule and volunteering information are posted at web.me.com/sanctuaryintl/The_Bridge_Bunch/Main_Page.html.
  • More help is offered by Save Tent City, which encourages Nashvillians to donate sleeping bags, tents, tarps, camp stoves, pillows or camping gear (or gift cards and/or money to buy them). To find drop-off spots or learn more, call 428-8989 or click on www.savetentcity.com.

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