Many members of the East Tennessee State University community and our fellow institutions of higher learning across the state have been directly or indirectly affected by deadly storms and floods which hit parts of Tennessee on May 1-2, 2010.
Should faculty, staff, and students wish to assist in relief efforts, the information and links below will provide information on organizations that are currently providing monetary or other relief efforts and support directly to those Tennesseans that have been impacted.
How to Help
Volunteer Tennessee Executive Director Jim Snell said, Volunteer Tennessee is happy to play a role in connecting the generosity of those around the country who are willing to help the people of Middle Tennessee in the midst of this historic disaster. We are thankful to donors and their willingness to help.
Volunteer Tennessee, working with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), has activated the Tennessee Emergency Donations Hotline to accept contributions and support state flood victims. The toll free number is (866) 586-4483, and the hotline will be staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily, central time.
Volunteers from local charitable and volunteer organizations, including AmeriCorps programs and Hands On Nashville, will staff the hotline and assist callers with donations through a Web site that hosts 48 organizations active in responding to disaster relief actions.
The Tennessee Emergency Donations Hotline was established in 2006 following deadly tornadoes that hit 15 counties and killed 35 people. The call centers goal is to help manage the volume of calls received by the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Nashville during natural disasters and other emergencies. While assisting in the call center operation, the state will not administer the funds. The SEOC is currently operating on a 24-hour basis to support local emergency agencies and organizations in meeting the needs of flood victims.
Although the call center is active, we also encourage people to utilize the Web site to maximize the availability of our volunteers in the call center. Donors can choose several different ways to give.
At this time, the primary need is for cash donations; however, goods or services will also be accepted. Water and used clothing are not needed at this time. All donations will go to assist flood victims in Tennessee.
Additionally, these agencies active in flood response are accepting donations:
- Red Cross of Middle Tennessee
- Hands On Nashville, www.hon.org
- Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, www.cfmt.org
- FEMA site for Tennessee
Student Organization Efforts
Community Service Programs housed within the Student Organization Resource Center ( SORC) is serving as a clearinghouse for student response efforts. For more information, you may contact serve@etsu.edu.
Support Services
The ETSU community should be aware of support services for those students, faulty, and staff who may have been affected by this disaster. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a resource for faculty and staff members who need counseling support and referral to other resources. The ETSU Counseling Center provides personal counseling for students, as well as outreach and referrals.
For More Information
For further information about developments, you can visit the State of Tennessees website at http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/