NASHVILLE (February 11, 2008) – In the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes that took lives, damaged and in many cases destroyed homes in Middle Tennessee, the Nashville Area Red Cross is working quickly to raise funds for the relief effort. 

The American Red Cross is committed to providing disaster victims with emergency assistance in the form of food, clothing and shelter and financial assistance is the most effective way to meet the needs of the affected communities. Middle Tennessee corporate citizens are providing the lead gifts to the fund-raising efforts for the tornado relief effort. 

The Memorial Foundation has already committed $200,000; Nissan North America is donating $120,000; and Dollar General has pledged to give $100,000 towards the tornado relief efforts.  

“Whenever a disaster like this strikes our community the Memorial Foundation feels the responsibility to step up to respond by helping the Red Cross to help those families who have lost everything,”  said J.D. Elliot, President of the Memorial Foundation. 

“Tennessee is our home so we felt a responsibility to help our neighbors,” said Dominique Thormann, Nissan North America’s senior vice president, administration and finance. “As a corporation, we are committed to helping the communities in which we live and work especially in time of need.”

“Everyone at Dollar General is saddened by the tragedy and devastation caused by the recent tornadoes,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s CEO. “We support the efforts of the Red Cross to help the victims recover and rebuild their lives.”   To provide further assistance, Dollar General is accepting donations to the Red Cross tornado disaster relief effort in all of its stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee through February 22. To find the store location nearest you, visit www.dollargeneral.com.  

With the continued support of community partners such as Dollar General, the Memorial Foundation and Nissan North America, the Nashville Area Red Cross should be able to raise the funds required to meet the immediate emergency needs of all the families affected and help them on the long road to recovery.  

Trained disaster volunteers Richard Huger (with clipboard) and Jack Lambert deployed from Metro Atlanta Chapter to assist with Red Cross response in the Nashville area. Red Cross volunteers will provide shelter, food, beverages, physical and mental health care, and family services and client casework support throughout the region. A typical volunteer assignment lasts about three weeks. The two volunteers departed from the Metro Atlanta Chapter headquarters at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 6th. Media specialist Ruben Brown (red shirt, carrying bags) of the Metro Atlanta Chapter, also deployed to Tennessee to provide public affairs support. He also departed Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon.

(Photo credit: Tony Moore, American Red Cross, Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter)

Tennessee
The Nashville Area Chapter currently is operating two (2) shelters for residents affected by the tornadoes that struck Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The shelters are located at:

Sumner County
Hartsville Pike Church of Christ
744 Hartsville Pike
Gallatin, TN

Macon County
Tennessee National Guard Armory
1200 Russell Drive
Lafayette, TN

Disaster Assessment is currently in full operation in the Sumner and Macon, with the Nashville Area Chapter reporting the following preliminary numbers:

Sumner County, northeast of the Nashville Metro Area, preliminary numbers are not in, yet.The Jackson Area Chapter will be closing its one shelter located at Liberty High School at 4370 Ridgecrest Extended this afternoon. The chapter does not anticipate opening additional shelters at this time.

In addition to conducting disaster assessment, the chapter is actively assisting the workers at Union University which was badly damaged by the tornadoes. Due to the large number of displaced students, the chapter will also be reaching out to them with assistance. Students are encouraged to register with the Safe and Well website, and may contact (731)427-5543 for additional information.

Date: February 6, 2008
Time: 12 noon EST
From: Knoxville Area Chapter, American Red Cross

The Knoxville Area Chapter of the Red Cross is sending its Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) to Nashville to support the Red Cross relief operation in middle and west Tennessee. Two experienced relief volunteers will be driving the ERV to the Nashville Area Chapter of the Red Cross, where it will be assigned to the area it is needed.

The Emergency Response Vehicle is similar to an ambulance in design and size and is a multi-purpose vehicle, meaning it can be used:

• as a mobile office to meet with individuals affected
• to deliver food in mass quantities or deliver cots and blankets to shelters
• to act as a mobile aid station, driving through affected areas where people are involved in cleanup, distributing, trash bags, work gloves, water, and other needed clean-up supplies.

The vehicle will be leaving at approximately 1 pm EST from the Knoxville Area Chapter.

View the ERV

Total American Red Cross Managed and Partner shelters: 8
Total population of American Red Cross Managed and Partner shelters: 364

Tennessee:

Total number of ARC Managed and Partners Shelters: 6
Total Occupants at Midnight: 300

Arkansas:

Total number of ARC Managed and Partners Shelters: 1
Total Occupants at Midnight: 60

Mississippi:

Total number of ARC Managed and Partners Shelters: 1
Total Occupants at Midnight: 4

This site is for public information about the American Red Cross response to the Tornadoes of February 2008.

If you are in need of Red Cross services, please contact your local chapter office.

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