Bucs Rebuild Together
Classes and all other campus activities resumed on Monday, October 7, according to our usual schedules. We will continue to give maximum flexibility to students and employees impacted by the storm.
Collecting non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, wet wipes, power towels, trash bags, water... Collecting non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, wet wipes, power towels, trash bags, water... The program offers free, friendly drop-in sessions with counselor consultants from the ETSU Counseling... Collecting non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, wet wipes, power towels, trash bags, water... This group is focused on supporting students who deal with feelings of anxiety or depression. Skills... Collecting non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, wet wipes, power towels, trash bags, water...Get Involved in Relief EffortsAll Events
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Anxiety / Depression Group
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Get Help
If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.
The Northeast Tennessee Regional Hub has put together a regional list of goods/services available for those affected by the floods in:
Resources for ETSU Students and Employees
The ETSU community provides support services for students, faculty, and staff who may have been affected by this disaster.
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Dean of Students
The ETSU Dean of Students office is reaching out to offer to support and assistance to students who have home addresses listed in areas directly impacted.
Students who need assistance can and should contact them at deanofstudents@etsu.edu or (423) 439-5377.
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Bucky's Food Pantry and Meal Swipes
Bucky’s Food Pantry provides food assistance to the ETSU community.
Both locations of Bucky’s Food Pantry on campus will be open for their regular hours.
Students who have been impacted by the disaster can request meal swipes for the cafeteria. Bucky's Food Pantry or the Dean of Students office can assist students with that request.
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ETSU Counseling Center
The ETSU Counseling Center provides personal counseling for students, as well as outreach and referrals. Students may access the ETSU Counseling Center at (423) 439-3333.
The Counseling Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and is located on the 3rd floor of the DP Culp Center. Telehealth/Zoom services are also available.
The Bucs Press 2 service is available 24/7/365 by dialing (423) 439-4841 and pressing 2 to speak to a counselor.
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Military and Veteran's Services
Student veterans who may have questions or need support are welcome to reach out to the Military and Veteran’s Services office.
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Employee Assistance
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a resource for faculty and staff who need counseling support and referral to other resources.
The ETSU Emergency Employee Assistance Fund was established to provide financial assistance to current employees who experience an unexpected and extenuating circumstance that could negatively affect their livelihood.
Employees who need help should contact HR at hr@etsu.edu or (423) 439-4457.
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Student Leaders and Organization Efforts
Leadership and Civic Engagement, housed within the Ronald and Edith J. Carrier Center, is serving as a clearinghouse for student response efforts. For more information, you may contact serve@etsu.edu.
ETSU staff and student leaders continue meeting to plan support and assistance efforts that benefit the local area. -
Showers at the CPA
Students and employees who currently don't have water at their homes can use the Center for Physical Activity on campus for hot showers. View the CPA's hours.
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Roads and Routes
Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) crews are working to assess damage, inspect all state-owned bridges, and repair connectivity in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Long-term closures will be in place across the region as many routes will require significant repairs and for others, a total rebuild.
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Call 211
The United Way 211 is the most comprehensive source of information about local resources and services pertaining to disaster assistance. They can help you with FEMA application assistance and otherlong-term resources.
Ways to Help
Many in our campus community have asked how they can participate in relief efforts in our region.
Find volunteer orientation sessions, ways to donate, supplies needed, and more below.
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Monetary Contributions
ETSU Student Crisis Relief Fund
Bucky’s Food Pantry Donation Fund
Employee Emergency Assistance Fund
External Funds
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)
How to Avoid Charity Scams
- Check out any organization seeking donations through the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, the Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, or Guidestar.
- Ask questions on how and who will benefit from your donation. Resist pressure to give on the spot.
- If you are asked for a donation through text or email, contact the charity or nonprofit directly to verify the request.
- If you give through an app or website, ask if it is going directly to the organization.
- Don't assume a social media or blog recommendation has been approved by the nonprofit.
- Avoid giving cash.
- Always try to get a receipt for your donations and ask if it is tax deductible.
- If a paid fundraiser asks you for a donation, ask how much is kept by the fundraiser and how much goes to the nonprofit.
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Donate Supplies
Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive
East Tennessee State University’s previously launched “Bucs Stuff the Bus” school supply drive has expanded to include schools affected by the catastrophic flooding.
ETSU departments and student organizations are invited to participate by donating a variety of supplies, including paper products, organizational tools, technology and arts and crafts materials. These contributions will directly support students, helping to remove barriers to learning and foster academic success.
To encourage broad participation, the ETSU community and the public are invited to join in ‘stuffing the bus’ during the ETSU vs. Samford football game on Saturday, Oct. 12. Additionally, donations can be made through Amazon wish lists available online.
Bucky's Food Pantry
Bucky’s Food Pantry is seeking donations to support students, faculty, staff, and community members affected by Hurricane Helene.The pantry will be utilizing the existing food donation bins, located across ETSU's campus, to collect non-perishable food items to donate to our communities in greatest need. The locations of these bins are listed on our website.
Community Efforts
Bristol Motor Speedway is serving as the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center where donations may be accepted.
There are many donation drop-off sites throughout the region.The Northeast Tennessee Regional Hub has compiled a living document of locations and needs for:
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Volunteer Opportunities
Bucs Rebuild Together is calling on ETSU students and employees who are willing and able to provide hands-on support for disaster recovery efforts in our area. To prepare, volunteer orientation sessions will be held periodically for ETSU students, employees, and community members. Sessions will offer best practices and practical guidance on how to stay safe during volunteer opportunities, the importance of tracking and documenting volunteer efforts, and how to find open volunteer opportunities.
Members of the campus community can register for these sessions or find volunteer opportunities in the community by visiting ETSU Serves.
For community members wishing to volunteer, please visit Volunteer United. The platforms are updated regularly, so check back for new opportunities.
For other questions or inquiries regarding volunteer opportunities, please contact serve@etsu.edu.
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Donate Blood
As many as three lives can be saved each time someone donates blood. All blood collected by The Marsh Regional Blood Center stays within the region as the blood center supplies blood and blood products to 20 regional medical facilities, all regional cancer centers and five air rescue bases across Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky.
The Marsh Regional Blood Center has various blood drives scheduled throughout the region in October and will soon build out events for November.
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Avoid Spreading Misinformation
The aftermath of a natural disaster is already chaotic, but misinformation can make it even more dangerous, putting lives at risk and complicating emergency response efforts.
Tips to avoid spreading misinformation:
- Verify information before sharing by checking official ETSU channels or trusted news outlets.
- Be cautious of sensationalized headlines and images that may be misleading.
- Look for credible sources—trusted institutions and experts are key in emergencies.
- Avoid spreading unconfirmed reports, especially on social media, without reliable evidence.
- Cross-check information from multiple sources to ensure accuracy.
- Correct misinformation if you see it, using verified facts and links.
- Pause before you share—remember that rumors can spread quickly.
ETSU Health Clinics
All ETSU Health clinics are open and serving our community. Many are providing special services for patients in the hardest-hit areas, from critical supplies to assisting with medication needs and behavioral health support during this time of crisis.
Mt. City Extended Hours Health Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Saturday beginning Thursday, Oct. 3, through Saturday, Oct. 19. This change
allows staff driving on damaged roads to travel during daylight hours.
Resources have been made available to clinic staff in need during this time, including
showers, drinking water and an employee disaster relief fund.
Several clinics are accepting donations in support of disaster relief drives or specifically for their patients who were impacted. These include:
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AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
100 Jason Witten Way, Elizabethton
The ETSU Health Center for Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology is collecting non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, wet wipes, paper towels, trash bags, water, self-care items, and batteries, including hearing-aid batteries, for distribution to the Unicoi YMCA and Elizabethton shelters.
The Center has several manufacturers willing to replace hearing aids lost due to Helene. Those needing assistance should schedule an appointment.
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OB/GYN
325 N. State of Franklin Rd., Johnson City
ETSU Health OB/GYN is accepting donations specific to women’s needs, including bras, panties and feminine hygiene products.
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PEDIATRICS
325 N. State of Franklin Rd., Johnson City
ETSU Health Pediatrics has created pediatric disaster relief kits including personal care items, water, infant formula, food, emergency supplies, and other developmentally appropriate resources to provide to children and their families in their clinics and region.
To aid pediatric disaster relief kit efforts, please donate to the Mary Michal Community Pediatrics Endowment:
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PSYCHIATRY
2 Professional Park Drive, Suite 21, Johnson City
ETSU Health Psychiatry is accepting donations to support ETSU supply collections of flood buckets and hygiene kits.
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SURGERY
325 N. State of Franklin Rd., Johnson City
ETSU Health Surgery is collecting donations such as non-perishable food, water, clothing, baby items, and feminine hygiene products for delivery to distribution points at churches in Limestone and Erwin.
ETSU Health will continue to uphold our mission, serving in underserved areas with expertise and compassion, by caring for the well-being of students, team members and the families we serve.