This past Monday, during the early hours of the morning, a tornado tore through our community and caused immense damage - particularly in the East Brainerd, Collegedale and Ooltewah areas, as well as in large parts of North Georgia. During a time where COVID-19 continues to pose great risk to our community and mandate that we shelter-in-place, we are heartbroken that some have had their homes ripped from them. Our thoughts are with our neighbors affected by the storm - and we want to remind our community that United Way of Greater Chattanooga is here to help. 

The total extent of the damage is yet to become clear - we are working with on-the-ground partners to gain a better understanding of our community’s needs and will provide that information as it develops. And while recovery from any natural disaster is challenging, the COVID-19 pandemic has created additional difficulties in providing support to those most affected by the tornado. For now, here are some ways to get help or give help, which you can also find on our tornado relief site. 

• Find Community Assistance through 211. Individuals and families looking for resources and information on emergency shelter, food, clothing or financial assistance can contact United Way’s resource and referral line by calling 211 or visiting 211.org.
• If you are looking for housing due to storm damage, please call the Red Cross Hotline at 1-800-733-2767.
• You can also find and access additional resources through our COVID-19 Get Help resource page. 

• Donate to meet immediate disaster relief needs through the American Red Cross Tennessee Region or The Salvation Army Chattanooga.
• Volunteer opportunities are under assessment for community safety and are currently being coordinated with social distancing regulations in mind. People interested in volunteering can view shift information and sign up at the link cha.city/volunteersignup. Volunteers who submit their information will be contacted with additional details.

United Way of Greater Chattanooga and The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga have joined forces to launch a new tornado relief fund. A community task force will work with local officials to understand the most pressing, on-the-ground needs. Grants from the fund will then be made to nonprofits providing vital services for both immediate and long term recovery efforts. You can donate to the fund by clicking below, and you can learn more here.