The East Tennessee Foundation Awards More Than $5 Million in Grants for Hurricane Helene Recovery

The East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) has awarded 118 grants totaling more than $5 million to accelerate the region’s long-term recovery across East Tennessee communities impacted by Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

“From helping first responders replace lifesaving equipment to expanding access to mental health services and strengthening the capacity of East Tennessee’s Long-Term Recovery Groups, the East Tennessee Foundation continues investing in a range of programs and services to maximize donations and their impact,” said Keith Barber, President & CEO of the East Tennessee Foundation. “We are grateful to our donors and are honored to support the critical work of our frontline partners who are accelerating East Tennessee’s long-term solutions.”

Grants were awarded through the ETF’s Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief (N2N) Fund, Donor Advised Funds, and county-based Affiliate Funds. In June and July, the ETF awarded grants supporting staffing, ongoing recovery operations, nonprofit sustainability, and disaster preparedness. Recent grant recipients include:

Roan Mountain Volunteer Fire Department – Serving Carter County

• Funding to replace the support vehicle lost due to Hurricane Helene

United Way of East Tennessee Highlands – Serving Cocke County

• Building capacity for the Cocke County Long-Term Recovery Group by supplementing the salary of a construction manager

East Tennessee State University Office of Research & Sponsored Programs Administration – Serving Washington County

• Disaster preparedness efforts

Helping Others of Johnson County – Serving Johnson County

• Supporting soup kitchen and food pantry expenses for continued service to households impacted by Hurricane Helene

HNDS & FT – Serving Unicoi County and Washington County

• Funding key staff positions for continued disaster recovery work and long-term sustainability

MountainTrue – Serving Unicoi County

• Supporting a partnership with the Nolichucky Outdoor Recreation Association (NORA)’s continued environmental cleanup and economic development program on the Nolichucky River

Tusculum University – Serving Greene County

• Funding direct clinical services and related expenses to implement mental health services for students impacted by Hurricane Helene

To learn more about the ETF’s disaster philanthropy, visit their Disaster Recovery webpage. Media inquiries, please contact Lisa Ford, Senior Director of Strategic Engagement and Stewardship at 865-524-1223 ext. 118 or lf***@*tf.org.

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. As part of the ETF’s long-term recovery strategy, its Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund is exclusively supporting public charities, units of government, public educational institutions, and houses of worship who are helping East Tennessee communities recover from Hurricane Helene. For more information, visit www.easttennesseefoundation.org.