The Community Foundation’s Disaster Response Efforts 2017

Thanks to the amazing generosity of people across the globe and the hard work of volunteers, community leaders and businesses of all sizes, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has been able to make strategic grants in 2017 to nonprofit organizations to help people overcome hardship due to the Gatlinburg wildfires, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and the Las Vegas shooting.

Every penny donated for recovery has been or is being distributed back into the communities impacted through grants to local organizations working directly with individuals and families to get them back on their feet.

Disaster Relief Grant Total – $4,281,869

Please note: Grant dollars are as of 11/15/2017. The Community Foundation continues to receive donations benefiting several of these relief efforts, and we also continue our research to provide designated funding to areas with the greatest need.


Gatlinburg Wildfire Response Impact

Grants made from contributions by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville Emergency Response Fund and Corporate Charitable Funds.

Grantees include:

American Red Cross of Tennessee Mountain Valley
Appalachia Service Project
Dollywood Foundation
Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Legal Aid of East Tennessee
Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic
Second Harvest of East Tennessee
Sevier County Food Ministries
Sevier County Humane Society
Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries
Volunteer East Tennessee

“You are definitely the expert in this field. You have no idea how valuable your information was to Gatlinburg and Sevier County following the fires.” – Mark Adams, president/CEO of Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau


Hurricane Harvey Response

Grants made from contributions by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Hurricane Harvey Response Fund, Corporate Charitable Funds, Donor-Advised Funds, individuals using The Community Foundation’s Giving Cards, and Employee Care Funds.

Grantees include:

American National Red Cross
American Red Cross Greater Houston Area Chapter
American Red Cross Nashville Area Chapter
Archway Academy
Austin Pets Alive
Bethesda Health Clinic
BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund
Catholic Charities Diocese of Tyler
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Christian Relief Fund
Christian Women Job Corps of Lindale
Comic Relief Inc.
Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana
Delta Delta Delta Foundation
Educational Media Foundation
Employees of
·          Autoloop
·          CHS
·          Correct Care Solutions
·          Delek Refining
·          Dollar General Stores
·          Essendant
·          Genesco Inc.
·          Grimco
·          KLX
·          LP Corp
·          Smith Seckman and Reid
·          Tractor Supply Company
Feed The Children
Foundation for Southeast Texas
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation
Global Giving
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Green Acres Baptist Church
Heart to Heart International
Houston Diaper Bank
Houston Food Bank
Houston Humane Society
Houston Pets Alive
Houston SPCA
Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
Lakewood Baptist Church
Louisiana Food Bank Association
Memorial Assistance Ministries
Montgomery County Food Bank
Operation Compassion
PATH (People Attempting to Help)
Progressive Union Missionary Baptist Church
Rebuilding Together Houston
Remote Area Medical
Rufus Refuge
Salvation Army Greater Houston
Salvation Army Nashville Area Command
Samaritan's Purse
Smith County Sheriff Office
Southeast Texas Food Bank
Southern Methodist University Foundation
SPCA of Texas
St. Louis Baptist Church
Star of Hope Mission
Tennessee Big Fluffy Dog Rescue
Texas Baptist Men
Texas Diaper Bank
The George Bush Presidential Library Foundation
The SPCA of Louisiana
The SPCA of Texas
The United Way of Southeast Louisiana
The United Way of Texas
United Way of Northeast Florida
Young Life

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee also granted the remaining gifts from the August 8 Flood Fund to the Westminster Home Connection to provide help for serious flooding in the north Nashville area due to the remnants of Hurricane Harvey.


“We know when disasters strike, there are no quick fixes,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. “We need to support the affected communities and the nonprofits on the ground helping victims and addressing their needs.”


Hurricane Irma Relief Impact

Grants made from contributions by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Hurricane Irma Relief Fund, Corporate Charitable Funds, Donor-Advised Funds, individuals using The Community Foundation’s Giving Cards, and Employee Care Funds.

Grantees include:

American Red Cross
American Red Cross - Southern Gulf Chapter
American Red Cross Nashville Area Chapter
American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter
ASPCA
Big Cat Rescue
Boy Scouts of America West Central Florida Council
Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay
Buoniconti Fund
Catholic Relief Services
Catopia Cat Rescue
City Rescue Mission, Inc.
Coco Point Fund
Community Foundation of Collier County
Danita's Children/Hope for Haiti Children's Center
Emerald Gems Foundation
Employees of:
·          BMI
·          CGS Administrators
·          Correct Care Solution
·          Essendant
·          Genesco Inc.
·          KLX
·          Autoloop
·          CHS
·          Scripps Networks Interactive
·          Smith Seckman Reid
·          Tractor Supply Company
·          Dollar General Stores
Feeding America Tampa Bay
Feeding Northeast Florida
Feeding South Florida
Feeding Tampa Bay
Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Inc
Florida Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Inc
Florida English Bulldog Rescue
Florida Keys Emergency Relief Fund
Florida State University Foundation
Food for the Poor
Friends of Joshua House Foundation
Give Kids the World
Global Giving
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Humane Society of Tampa Bay
Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County - Irma Fund 59-1945109
Meals on Wheels Tampa
Metropolitan Ministries
Metz Culinary Management @ Hillsborough Community College
National Parkinson Foundation
Ocean Reef Community Foundation
Petluv Nonprofit Spay and Neuter Clinic
Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade
Rebuilding Together North Central Florida
Sailfish Point Foundation, Inc.
Salvation Army of Tampa/Hillsborough Area
Samaritan's Purse
Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
SPCA Tampa Bay
Spring of Tampa Bay, Inc.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
The Salvation Army
The SPCA of Florida
Unicef USA
United Way of Florida
The United Way of Texas
United Way of Northeast Florida
Young Life

“When I’m researching the greatest needs in time of disaster, I always start with the Community Foundation serving that area and then contact the local press and government officials. I am looking to find what trusted nonprofits are doing the best work on the ground at that moment,” said Scott O’Neal, The Community Foundation’s regional and affiliate initiatives liaison. “From that start what follows are lots of calls and emails to determine the greatest needs and the best providers, to help ensure people have the basics of food, shelter, clothing, as well as access to emergency and medical services including counseling. From there we watch carefully as the disaster unfolds. Each is unique. We know from experience needs of those affected evolve over time and and no recovery happens overnight.”

 


Hurricane Maria Relief Efforts

Grants made from contributions by The Community Foundation’s Corporate Charitable Funds, Donor-Advised Funds, and Employee Care Funds.

Grantees include: 

American Red Cross
Americares
Catholic Relief Services
Employees of Genesco Inc.
Faith Hope & Love Fellowship
Food Bank of Puerto Rico
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation
Global Giving
Heart to Heart International
Hispanic Federation
Hola Hora Latina
Humane Society of Puerto Rico
La Casa Community Crisis Outreach for Puerto Rico
La Casa de Esperanza, Inc.
United for Puerto Rico
United Way of Puerto Rico
United Way of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Waves for Water-Puerto Rico Fund
World Central Kitchen

Las Vegas Shooting Relief Efforts

Grants made from contributions by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Music City Cares Fund.

Grantees include: 

Bridge Counseling Associates
Injured Police Officers Fund
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
MusiCares Foundation West Region
Nathan Adelson Hospice for Grief Support
National Center for Victims of Crime
Nevada Community Foundation
St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena Campus
University Medical Center

Disaster response is an important part of our work, but it’s not all we do. Since 1991, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has been providing customized services to donors, connecting their generosity with the needs of our community. We are committed to helping people who want to give, no matter the amount, make a difference in meaningful ways through the work of quality nonprofits.

Donors to The Community Foundation are comprised of individuals, families, businesses, civic groups, and people from all walks of life who want to give to an existing Fund or program within The Community Foundation, or who choose to set up their own personalized giving vehicle with us.

For more information, please call us at (615) 321-4939 or shoot us an email at givingback@cfmt.org.