CKS News - Special - Flood Relief Resources

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UPDATE for July:
As we get further along in the recovery process, we've found that the following resources are most helpful to people. We've kept our original posts on this page just in case you might be looking for something you viewed before.

Mayor's Office for Recovery: this new page and new address this consolidates much of the information that previously appeared on various parts of the Metro Government website. Start here for a good overview of city resources: http://www.nashvillerecovery.com/

FEMA application for assistance: even if you don't directly qualify for a FEMA grant or SBA loan, many other assistance programs require proof that you applied with FEMA before they will consider you for their assistance programs. Access the FEMA appplication process at http://www.disasterassistance.gov

Additional financial assistance is available in the form of grants and loans. In many cases, FEMA funds have not been sufficient to complete repairs, and this source for rebuilding assistance tries to help fill that gap: http://www.thehousingfund.org/floodrebuildassistance.html

With the declaration of Nashville as a federal distaster area, several tax law changes come into play. The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands has a comprehensive guide to tax law changes that can benefit those rebuilding at http://www.las.org/booklets/tax_problems/2010_flood_tax_guide and see also their general assistance guide at http://www.las.org/free_lawyer/flood_help

Catholic Charities continues to offer assistance at their Bellevue distaster branch office. For the latest information, please visit http://cctenn.org/flood-relief

For volunteer opportunities, contact Catholic Charities, and Hands-On Nashville continues to be a great resource not only for flood relief work but for all kinds of volunteer opportunities:
http://www.hon.org

ARCHIVED:
SPECIAL FLOOD RELIEF RESOURCES

We have tried to check in families that we may have been affected by the floods. If you know of a family who sustained damage, please let us know.

Offer help Save water Get information Get help

OFFER HELP

Christ the King Church has established a special Flood Fund. Anyone interested in contributing can send donations designated for the fund and those contributions will be used for flood relief and related assistance.

We coordinating efforts with the church and Diocese to provide relief. Some ways that folks can help are to contact Hands on Nashville--they are coordinating volunteers who would like to give time. Visit http://www.hon.org.

The school is collecting money to give to the Red Cross as well as donations of gift cards or gift certificates. If you would like to provide a financial donation, please feel free to send in a gift card or a donation. Please mark whether you would like the funds to go toward the Red Cross (we have a family coordinating this endeavor) or the Family Emergency Fund for CKS. We will provide more information later when we have set up ways for folks to donate clothes, toys and other household objects.

We will not be collecting clothing in order not to duplicate efforts with the Gordon Jewish Community Center. We are directing all requests for clothing assistance to the GJCC. They are no longer taking donations, but they do have a large supply that they are using for assistance.

Donations can be made to the Nashville Community Foundation's flood relief fund. See more information at http://cfmt.org/floodrelief/. The most urgent need continues to be cash donations, which may be made to the Metro Distaster Fund at the Community Foundation.

All Red Cross text message, online and phone donations are pooled in the general American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund, a general fund used throughout the U.S. wherever they are needed most. Text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to donate $10.00. Or make an online donation at the American Red Cross donation page of their website.

To support the Salvation Army's relief efforts, call 800-725-2769 or go to http://www.salarmy-nashville.com/ This page also lists the local drop-off locations and items needed most.

Kroger locations in Middle Tennessee are collecting money and non-perishables for the Red Cross and Second Harvest Food Bank.

Report flood damage through the Tennessean website: http://www.tennessean.com/section/seeclickfix

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SAVE WATER
The following message appeared in the Wed. May 5th edition of the City Paper. We wanted to share it with you in its entirety.

Modern Nashville has never seen a crisis like the one caused by last weekend’s rainstorms and subsequent flooding. Thousands of our residents have been displaced, lost their homes, cars, clothing, and in some cases the most basic necessities for everyday living. At least nine have lost their lives.

Mayor Karl Dean announced this afternoon that the damage assessment has topped $1 billion, and crews remain in the city’s hardest-hit neighborhoods accounting for even more. The president has declared Davidson and three other counties disaster areas, and help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the way.

As well, the outpouring of support from the citizens and businesses of this city has been tremendous. Volunteer efforts have been wildly successful, as have fundraising pleas. There has been virtually no criminal activity, according to Metro police. Instead of raiding people down on their luck, Nashvillians are lifting them up. It is humbling to watch.

But amid all this, citizens seem to be missing the call to conserve water. The city has two water treatment facilities: one is underwater and the other is working double-time. Meanwhile, our water reserves remain at less than 50 percent.

Metro government has issued multiple requests to cut your water usage in half, and the state last night imposed a mandatory water cutback, the first of its scale in Tennessee history.

They — and now we — are asking you to limit your water usage to essentials: drinking, food preparation, keeping your hands and body clean. Take a shower every other day. Hold off on that load of laundry. Let your dishes sit in the sink a few more days. Don’t use your dishwasher. Don’t water your lawn. Don’t wash your car. Metro Water is not going to shut off your tap, so don’t fill your bathtub with “reserves.”

If we all pitch in to conserve water, this disaster — already epic in proportion for so many — will not bring catastrophe to everyone.

From USMC veteran, Deacon Bob True:

As a 19 year old midshipman while at sea, I was introduced to the Navy shower - turn on the water to get wet, turn off water, soap down, turn on water to rinse. Use the same technique to wash hands and brush teeth. The Nashville.gov website says we are doing a better job as a city conserving water, but we need to step it up a bit.

Please do your part. We are all in this together - it's very Catholic!

At school we are conserving water and not drawing on the city supply by providing water bottles the rest of the week. We will give students one bottle of water on Wed, Thurs and Fri as well as babywipes to wash hands. We will not use water fountains or sinks to wash hands. Further, we are reminding students to not run the water while washing their hair and brushing their teeth.

Go to Metro's official water conservation webpage for the latest news and the latest direction about water use.

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GET INFORMATION

The best source of official information is the Nashville.Gov website. For an overview of communications from the Mayor's office, go to:http://www.nashville.gov/flood/ ; the phone hotline for non-emergency assistance is (615) 862-8574; call 911 in an emergency.

New as of 6/9
More information on Catholic Charities Flood Relief Distribution Center - flyer from Catholic Charities of Middle Tennessee: click here to download flyer.

New as of 5/27
Metro Codes is offering help to people who are making plans to rebuild. Building permits are needed for most rebuilding work, but there are restrictions on where and how people may rebuild. First, check to see if your property lies in the floodplain or the floodway. Metro has an online map system at http://maps.nashville.gov/checkflood. Then, apply online for your building permit at http://www.nashville.gov/codes/permits/flood.asp. For more infomation, download the overview flyer from Metro at this link and then get this flyer from the Metro website to step you through the application process.

New as of 5/20
Catholic Charities will open a Flood Relief Distribution Center in Bellevue (7632 Highway 70 South - the outer loop of the old Bellevue Mall, formerly home to Designers Floors and Interiors) this Saturday, May 22, 2010. The hours on Saturday will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will also accept donations of furniture, household (such as lamps, electronics, and linens) Kitchen (such as pots/pans, utensils, glasses/plates), Personal Hygiene, Cleaning supplies and Nonperishable food items.

Rebuild Housing Clinics - beginning on Thursday, May 20, families can make appointments to attend housing clinics in six different locations around the city. Call 862-6778 to sign up for a clinic on Saturday, May 22 at one of the centers. Advisors will help create individualized plans for recovering and rebuilding, but you need to get an advance appointment. For more information visit: http://www.nashville.gov/flood/housing.asp

Rep. Jim Cooper's website has links to FEMA, to resources for individuals and small business owners, and other community and volunteer information: http://www.cooper.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=361&Itemid=76

Nashville City Paper flood coverage: http://nashvillecitypaper.com/2010-flood

Tennessean website flood coverage:http://www.tennessean.com/section/news0101/

Tennessean resource guide for dealing with returning home, cleaning up: http://blogs.tennessean.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/flood-resource-guide.pdf

The latest official information on road closures can be found here.

Stay healthy: flood water and worksites can be hazardous. Make sure you take care of any cuts or scrapes. Information on treating problems from the Metro Public Health Dept:
http://health.nashville.gov

Metro has closed down the free tetanus vaccine clinics at Community Centers due to information showing that exposure to flood waters does not increase the risk of contracting tetanus. However, any injuries you might incur in cleanup work could raise the risk for you. Be sure to follow guidelines from Metro above; seek help at your doctor's office or from walk-in clinics.

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GET HELP

With President Obama's declaration of disaster area status for Tennessee, FEMA assistance is now available. You can start the process of applying for disaster assistance by going to http://www.disasterassistance.gov/daip_en.portal and completing the online questionnaire and forms. FEMA assistance means that grants and loans are available to cover losses that insurance will not cover. Apply at this site to determine your eligibility.

You can also call FEMA to register for help over the phone at 1-800-621-FEMA. Use the code 1909 for the Tennessee flood disaster.

New as of 5/20
Rebuild Housing Clinics - beginning on Thursday, May 20, families can make appointments to attend housing clinics in six different locations around the city. Call 862-6778 to sign up for a clinic on Saturday, May 22 at one of the centers. Advisors will help create individualized plans for recovering and rebuilding, but you need to get an advance appointment. For more information visit: http://www.nashville.gov/flood/housing.asp

Catholic Charities of Middle Tennessee has set up a direct line for flood relief information. Contact them at (615) 760-1027 or at floodrelief@cctenn.org .

Metro's official list of disaster assistance centers can be found here.

Information from Metro on food boxes, drinking water distribution, emergency laundry help, housing assistance, and pet care, use this link.

Tide has set up their "Loads of Hope" mobile laundry facility in the parking lot of Dollar General in Donelson, at 2403 Lebanon Pike. families can bring two loads of clothing per person per day. Tide workers will wash, dry and fold clothes free of charge. The service is for clothing only. No linens, jackets or large items will be washed. Loads of Hope is open from 8am to 6pm and has planned to be in the Nashville area until Wednesday, May 19.

Even though the Gordon Jewish Community Center has stopped accepting donations of clothing, household goods, etc, the already collected supplies at the GJCC are open to ANYONE in need, not just folks at the GJCC shelter. GJCC has an enormous supply (brand new and gently used) of clothes, shoes, toiletries, bedding, baby supplies, cleaning supplies, and the list goes on. Their auditorium has been converted to a department store by their gracious volunteers. Please ask neighbors to notify ANYONE in need to stop by the GJCC to replenish their household items.

The Salvation Army has set up five community relief locations where people can go for help. Visit http://www.salarmy-nashville.com/

First Aid help is available for people doing relief work who might get injured on the job. Facebook users can go to http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=120067978017817&ref=mf to get help from a group of nurses coordinated by Mel True Firebaugh.

Family and Children's Service is offering a Walk-in Counseling Clinic for flood victims on Thursday, May 13 from 10am-4pm.They are located at 201 23rd Ave N, behind Centential Sportsplex. See their flyer at http://www.nashville.gov/flood/docs/WalkInClinic100513.pdf

Please report any parishioners or school families in need of help to the church and school offices. For the church office, call Nancy Rohling at 292-2884 or nancy.rohling@ctk.org. For the school office, call Margie Grover at 292-9465 or margie.grover@ctk.org.