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.
