from Hands On Nashville’s Executive Director, Brian N. Williams

The devastation is overwhelming. The need is overwhelming. The outpouring of volunteers has been equally overwhelming.

The Flood of 2010 and its images of buildings floating down interstates, children being rescued by boats, and the elderly being carried by strangers to safety will stick with us for a lifetime. What will also stay with us is the spirit of volunteerism that has taken over a city taken over by water.

We have images of Middle Tennesseans helping their neighbors haul personal belongings to curbside trash heaps, and cleaning up, piece by piece, as we move toward the next step of recovery – rebuilding and restoring.

On May 2, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean announced that those wanting to help with flood relief efforts in Middle Tennessee should go through Hands On Nashville (HON).  The community responded to Mayor Deal’s call to action. Between May 2 and May 21, over 14,000 people in our community have donated over 60,000 hours to flood recovery at nearly 800 sites through Hands On Nashville alone.  Keep in mind these numbers do not include the hundreds of volunteer referrals made each day by Hands On Nashville staff. Nor does it represent the countless hours put in by volunteers through other organizations or grassroots efforts started by community members.

Again, the volunteer effort is overwhelming. And it needs to be.

To the nearly 16,000 people who have registered in the Hands On Nashville database, thank you. To those who have found an opportunity and have helped this great city of ours, ‘thank you’ does not adequately do justice to the gratitude owed you.  To those of you still wanting to help, there are many opportunities as we move into the rebuilding process.   We must continue to help our neighbors – whether they are down the street, across town, or in another town.

Nashville, continue to “Be the Change. Volunteer.”

~ Brian N. Williams
Executive Director
Hands On Nashville