CFMT Deploys 11 New Tornado Relief Grants; Additional Opportunity to Support Nonprofits

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee announces 11 additional grants this week totaling $287,500 to area nonprofits and organizations helping victims affected by the deadly tornadoes of March 3.

The Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund advisory committee approved the latest round of grants focused on immediate relief efforts — food, shelter, basic necessities, and direct cash assistance. CFMT will continue funding relief and recovery grants for organizations that assist those who have been impacted by the tornadoes on both a short- and long-term basis.

To date, 93 grants to 83 organizations have been deployed from the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund, totaling more than $3 million ($3,009,100).

To make a gift in support of Nashville and Middle Tennessee recovery efforts, visit www.cfmt.org.


The latest round of grants are:

Affordable Housing Resources, Inc. ($25,000) to provide mortgage mitigation assistance to individuals and families affected by March 2020 tornadoes in partnership with Lee AME Chapel.

College Hills Church of Christ ($2,500) to assist our community of Lebanon families requesting support for food, clothing, housing, and short-term financial assistance following the March 2020 tornadoes.

Greater Heights Missionary Baptist Church ($30,000) to provide support for food and basic necessities for families in North Nashville impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes.

Inspiritus (formerly Lutheran Social Services, $30,000) to provide direct service to Middle Tennessee families impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes, including but not limited to the coordination of over 24,000 volunteer hours supporting  with home debris removal, and valuable item search and salvage across Davidson, Wilson and Putnam counties.

Manna Cafe Ministries ($5,000) to provide food assistance to individuals and families in Greater Nashville immediately following the March 2020 tornadoes.

Meharry Medical College ($50,000) to provides medical, dental, and mental health services to North Nashville residents impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes.

MJ 4 Hope ($30,000) to provide direct financial assistance to families affected in the Mt. Juliet community and in the west side of Lebanon, who had damage to their home caused by the March 2020 tornadoes.

St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church ($30,000) to provide support for basic necessities and utility payment assistance for families in Wilson County impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes.

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC, $20,000) to provide direct, short-term financial assistance for Latinx families whose homes were severely damaged or destroyed by the March 2020 tornadoes.

Wilson County Civic League, Inc. ($15,000) to provide direct financial assistance to families in Lebanon directly impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes.YMCA of Middle Tennessee ($50,000) to support the YMCA Hope Fund, a safety net program to support 55 employees directly impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes.


In other news from The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee:

This year a record number of area nonprofits are busy preparing in a big way for The Big Payback’s seventh annual, 24-hour online giving event.

A total of 988 Middle Tennessee nonprofits from 34 counties will be participating in The Big Payback, an initiative of The Community Foundation, on May 6-7. First-time participants include 108 organizations spanning 15 counties.

Starting at 6 pm on Wednesday, May 6, there are 24 hours to make donations to a wide swath of organizations at TheBigPayback.org.

Together, for the past six years, The Big Payback cumulatively raised nearly $17 million, with a total of 115,890 donations for area schools, religious institutions and charities working hard to make a difference.

This year, more than ever, nonprofits need our support.

Recent weeks have brought deadly tornadoes, the coronavirus pandemic and economic peril. The unfolding economic impact of these disasters has forced hundreds of organizations to slow down or put their important work on hold at a time when we need them the most. They are: 

Feeding the hungry ∙ Sheltering the homeless ∙ Fighting for the rights of the underserved ∙ Fostering the animals ∙ Preserving the arts ∙ Providing a safe haven ∙ Protecting the environment ∙ Teaching the children ∙ Taking care of each other.

For more information, go to TheBigPayback.org.