For those impacted by natural disasters, the holiday season will be very different this year.
Just over a year ago, a tornado outbreak struck Middle Tennessee, killing seven people, injuring more than 80, and damaging or destroying thousands of homes. Then, in September, Hurricane Helene and the subsequent flooding devastated upper East Tennessee. In the aftermath of both disasters, volunteers and relief organizations quickly mobilized to provide immediate assistance and assess the damage. Once the initial recovery phase was complete, efforts shifted to long-term recovery and building.
Today, we’ll provide an update on the status of that recovery, the ongoing efforts to reduce the risk of future catastrophic weather events, and ways you can support survivors during the holiday season.
Guests
- Alex Dorman | Senior Director, Community Partnerships Hands On Nashville, powered by United Way of Greater Nashville; Chair, Nashville Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster’s Long-term Recovery Group (LTRG)
- Andrea Prince | CEO, Rebuilding Together Nashville; Chair, Nashville Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster’s Long-term Recovery Group (LTRG) Construction Committee
- Dawn Day | Executive Director, American Red Cross Northeast Tennessee
- Dr. Andrew Joyner | Tennessee’s climatologist and Associate Professor at East Tennessee State University
How you can help
- WPLN’s list of ways to support Hurricane Helene survivors
- American Red Cross Northeast Tennessee
- United Way of Greater Nashville
- East Tennessee Foundation Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund
- Mountain Ways | Nonprofit dedicated to bringing the hospitality and values of the Appalachian region to those facing natural disasters and tragedies.
Further reading and listening
- Rising with Hope: Appalachia After Hurricane Helene | Produced by East Tennessee State University
- WPLN | Deadly tornadoes cause damage across Middle Tennessee
- WPLN | After tornado devastation, TSU rebuilds its agriculture campus from scratch
- WPLN | The Tennessee Tornadoes Of 2020 One Year Later
- NPR’s Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom | Hurricane Helene coverage
- Knoxville News Sentinel | East Tennessee floods: Everything to know, from rescues to recovery to Helene resources
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