THOUGHTFUL GIVING FOR
STRONGER COMMUNITIES
AND BETTER LIVES
In response to the devastating flash floods caused by Hurricane Helene, the East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) reactivated its Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund to assist communities impacted in Tennessee.
Exclusively aiding the response to and recovery from Helene in East Tennessee, this Fund will be used to provide strategic grants to support nonprofits, houses of worship, and government agencies aiding the communities and recovery amid devastating impacts from Hurricane Helene.
“We know from experience that when disaster strikes – recovery takes time. These efforts will be ongoing for the foreseeable future, and we will work with our contacts in the affected communities to get help to vetted organizations serving those who need it most,” said ETF President & CEO Keith Barber. “Our aim will be to strategically distribute these funds to the nonprofits and entities directly supporting these communities and to engage our partners in the area who know their local needs so we can maximize our ability to help these communities recover.”
Northeast Tennessee was significantly impacted, with emergency declarations and evacuations occurring for communities across ETF’s 25-county service area.
Due to continued impacts, President Biden and Governor Lee have declared a State of Emergency – and federal, state, and local emergency efforts are ongoing.
The Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund was created in 2011 after parts of East Tennessee experienced devastating storms, it was activated to support recovery from the Gatlinburg wildfires in 2016, and it mobilized $1.5 million during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
How You Can Help
ETF is accepting monetary donations to support long-term recovery efforts. Contributions to the Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund will exclusively benefit East Tennessee and provide strategic services to communities in need from the disaster by supporting nonprofit organizations and organizations that provide critically needed services.
Grants from these funds will go directly to nonprofit organizations, houses of worship, and government agencies providing essential services, both in the immediate aftermath and during the long-term recovery process.
To donate online, please visit: East Tennessee Hurricane Helene Flood Relief – East Tennessee Foundation.
For those who wish to give via check, please send contributions to: East Tennessee Foundation, 520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101, Knoxville, TN 37902. Donors should include: “N2N” in the memo line so that funds are deposited into the correct account.
Where to Get Disaster Relief Information and Assistance
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) has activated the State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate local response and gather information, and the TEMA website is providing regular updates.
About East Tennessee Foundation
The East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity and nationally accredited community foundation focused on serving a 25-county region in East Tennessee. As a community foundation, the ETF operates as a collection of hundreds of distinct charitable funds and supporting organizations established by individuals, families, businesses and other nonprofits. The ETF builds endowments, creating a permanent source of philanthropic funding for the East Tennessee region. For more information, visit www.easttennesseefoundation.org.
For more information, please contact the East Tennessee Foundation by phone at 865-524-1223, toll-free at 1-877-524-1223 or by email at et*@*tf.org.