How to Help — Nashville Tornado 2020 (and updated photos of the tornado damage)

“Don’t go where the damage is, but do stay aware of how you can volunteer when the time is right.” Those words were delivered by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee at a morning press conference in response to the deadly Nashville tornado that tore through Middle Tennessee last night. Significant damage was inflicted on Nashville’s Germantown, East Nashville and North Nashville neighborhoods and throughout the mid-state, which means there will be a lot of clean-up work that needs to be done.

RELATED: How Local Businesses Are Helping Out After the Nashville Tornado

How to Help After the Nashville Tornado

(We will be updating this page as more information comes in.)

Per Mayor Cooper, below are the preferred methods for donating time, money and immediate needs:

To volunteer your time, sign up with Hands On Nashville at hon.org.
To donate money, visit the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee as they have activated the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund, online at cfmt.org.
To donate everything EXCEPT clothing, stop by Community Resource Center, located at 218 Omohundro Pl, Nashville, TN 37210. IMMEDIATE NEEDS INCLUDE: Personal hygiene items, baby items (formula, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, and bottles), battery-operated lanterns, tarps, rolls of plastic sheeting, work gloves, vinyl gloves, latex gloves, Windex, Lysol products, batteries and flashlights, towels of all sizes, battery-operated lanterns, adult incontinence products like Depends, and storage bins.
For those who have non-emergency clean-up requests, call 3-1-1.
For those who have been affected by the tornado and need services, call 2-1-1 and the Crisis Center will connect you to services you need.

Additional donation options and support agencies include:

The Nashville Convention & Visitors’ Center is accepting donations via its Music City Inc. Foundation, which will be distributed to families most impacted. Options to donate include:
- PayPal at [email protected]
- Make a check to Music City Inc. Foundation and send to One Nashville Place, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite G-250, Nashville, TN 37219
To donate water, clean towels, blankets and catered food (they do NOT need clothing, dog food or cat food), the American Red Cross is accepting donations at:
- East High School at 110 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
- Victory Baptist Church at 1777 Tate Ln, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
- Highland Heights Church of Christ at 505 North Cumberland Street, Lebanon TN 37087-2307
To donate blood to the American Red Cross, click HERE to find a donation site near you.
Make monetary donations via the Salvation Army to help with their efforts to provide community meals via the nonprofit’s mobile kitchen as well as emotional and spiritual care.
Donations to Second Harvest Food Bank are always welcome and will be needed during this time.

See how so many local businesses are helping out with food, fundraisers, free places to stay and more. See the complete list HERE.

Here are a few shots to illustrate just how much clean-up is needed:

Pictures of Nashville’s March 3, 2020 tornado damage:

Send us your photos and we’ll keep updating this page. Email Ashley Haugen at [email protected].

North Nashville:

Nashville tornado damage — As the sun sets on March 3, clean up crews and citizens are doing what they can here in North Nashville. Image: Ashley Haugen

North Nashville tornado damage — Debris is everywhere, but there was definitely progress made Tuesday in the first efforts to clean up. Image: Marcus Whitney

East Nashville:

nashville tornado lockeland springs liz maxwell IMG 20200305 161717 — “[There are] snapped piles and wires wrapped everywhere and scary poles leaning towards our house,” says Liz Maxwell of her Lockeland Springs neighborhood. Image: Liz Maxwell

nashville tornado lockeland springs liz maxwell IMG 20200305 161741 — “This is too big for NES to handle. We need volunteer neighboring states to help,” says Liz Maxwell. “We rent and are living in a cold, dark home with no hot water. Everyone has deserted our Lockland Springs neighborhood to stay with family or hotels, so nobody knows this is still happening.” Image: Liz Maxwell

nashville tornado damage basement east kate cifaratta — Basement East took a destructive hit from the Nashville tornado. Image: Kate Cifaratta

Nashville tornado damage ruth ann cox image from ios 1 scaled — This photo was taken from the YMCA Y-CAP buildings on Russell Street in East Nashville. Image: Ruth Ann Cox

nashville tornado damage woodland street kate cifaratta — This image of Woodland Street in East Nashville shows the extent of the debris and devastation. Image: Kate Cifaratta

Germantown:

Nashville tornado damage ruth ann cox image from ios scaled — This photo, taken from the YMCA Y-CAP buildings on Russell Street in East Nashville, shows the damage done to YMCA vehicles by the Nashville tornado. Image: Ruth Ann Cox

nashville tornado vuis molly peach pic — Vui’s Kitchen in Germantown | Image: Molly Peach

Nashville tornado damage ruth ann cox east nashville scaled — This picture, taken from the YMCA Y-CAP buildings on Russell Street in East Nashville, shows how strong the pressure from the tornado was — enough to blow out all of the windows. Image: Ruth Ann Cox

Donelson:

DCA 4 — As the tornado headed east along I-40, Donelson braced for impact. Here, Donelson Christian Academy endured a devastating hit. Image: Cindy McCain

Standford Estates 4 — Stanford Estates in Donelson was severly impacted by the Nashville tornado. Image: Cindy McCain

Standford Estates 2 — More destruction in the Stanford Estates neighborhood | Image: Cindy McCain

Standford Estates 9jpg — A car was turned on its top in the Stanford Estates neighborhood in Donelson. Image: Cindy McCain

“It is a very tragic and difficult day in Middle Tennessee, but this is where people come together to see redemption in tragedy,” Governor Lee concludes.

We’re with you, Middle Tennessee! #nashvillestrong

See How Local Businesses Are Helping Out After the Nashville Tornado

Send us your photos and we’ll keep updating this page. Email Ashley Haugen at [email protected].

About the Author
Ashley Haugen

Ashley is a StyleBlueprint contributor who was born and raised in the South. She loves hiking, travel, photography, and spending time with family and friends.