Day 12: Middle Tennessee Flooding Update
/
Dear Friend,
Inspiritus Response teams are still on the ground in Waverly, Tennessee following last week’s deadly flash floods, and will serve this community for at least a month.
This work would not be possible without hundreds of HEROIC volunteers, including those who have driven in locally, as well as Team Leads who have come in from around the country and are living at our local Volunteer Housing Camp for the month.
Volunteers from across the country are welcomed and deployed at the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) operating inside of a grocery store in Waverly, TN. The VRC is managed by Inspiritus in partnership with the County and TEMA.
There is an urgent need for assistance to continue the work of helping the hundreds of families whose homes were flooded last week. Inspiritus is committed to continuing our work in Middle Tennessee, both in communities impacted by last week’s floods, as well as in South Nashville, where the recovery efforts from earlier floods are just getting underway.
Inspiritus Disaster Relief Director, Sherry Buresh, helps us collaborate with other organizations who want to help. Shown here: Veteran owned Houston County Coffee Company from Erin, TN. (@hococoffeecompany)
WHAT WE ARE DOING (Day 12 Update)
Volunteer Housing Camp: Inspiritus' Disaster Relief staff and team leads began arriving in Waverly, TN on August 22 and are living at a temporary Inspiritus Volunteer Responder Housing camp.
Volunteer Reception Center: Our team has established a Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) in Humphreys County, in partnership with the County and TEMA. The VRC is operating in front of the Dollar Tree in Waverly, TN. (The purpose of a VRC in a disaster zone is to provide a location where all volunteers who show up to help can register and be assigned to organized projects where they are needed most.)
Assistance Call Center: The call center has been relocated to operate in the VRC and is being supported by Inspiritus oversight. (A Call Center receives requests for assistance and aid.)
Distribution Resource Center: Inspiritus teams are helping manage the Distribution Resource Center at the Humphreys County fairgrounds. (A Distribution Resource Center is established as a centralized resource where donated resources are received and redistributed to multiple distribution sites throughout the impacted communities.)
Debris Removal, Muck & Gut: Our team leads are actively deploying volunteers to provide debris removal and muck & gut services. (Debris Removal: Volunteers use chainsaws, heavy equipment and gloves to remove fallen trees and debris. Muck & Gut: Volunteers wear full body safety gear to enter flooded homes and remove damaged sheetrock, cabinetry, flooring, belongings, etc. These free services often save each homeowner up to $30,000.)
Demolition: Volunteers are actively deploying to conduct heavy equipment demolition of private properties.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
DONATE
Donate to Inspiritus: The more funding we raise, the longer our teams can stay on the ground helping homeowners impacted by the flooding. Your support will provide free debris removal, muck & gut services and property demolition to families affected by the storm, especially those who can't recover without help.
Donate to The Southeastern Synod of the ELCA: Donations may also be made to support the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA disaster relief efforts (i.e. volunteer mobilization, emotional and spiritual care, material resources to help families, etc.). Donations may be made here.
VOLUNTEER
Prayerfully consider joining us in Waverly, TN between September 2-18. Please contact Sherry Buresh: sherry.buresh@weinspirit.org.
An Inspiritus Volunteer meets with a homeowner to assess their needs before sending out a volunteer team to remove flood damaged flooring, sheet rock and cabinetry.
OUR PARTNERS
Inspiritus' teams could not serve without the support of our partners. The Southeastern Synod of the ELCA has generously provided a $10,000 contribution to help rapidly deploy Inspiritus teams to Waverly, TN. With this support, we are helping to setup and manage the Volunteer Reception Center, Volunteer Responders Housing Camp, and training and deploying volunteer teams to provide homeowners with debris removal and muck & gut services.
Additional partners collaborating with us include:
Tennessee Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (TN VOAD)
Humphreys County Emergency Management Office
Incident Commander & Sheriff's Office
Please continue to join us in prayer for those families impacted, and for the strength of the volunteers serving on the ground now. Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus
