Our Disaster Responses

Hands On began as a true grassroots effort in 1991. Since then, the organization has evolved not only as a widely recognized leader in volunteerism, but as a pillar of the community in disaster response. Below are some of the significant responses that we have been involved with.

April 1998: A Tornado Outbreak

Tennessee saw a historic tornado outbreak in April 1998, with 13 tornadoes sweeping through Middle Tennessee and two of them touching down in Nashville. Nashville became the first major city in nearly 20 years to have an F2 or larger tornado make a direct impact on the downtown area. The tornado started in West Nashville and traveled over 28 miles as it blew through downtown and East Nashville. The Nashville tornadoes caused over one hundred injuries, one death, and over $100 million in estimated damages. This tornado outbreak had a large impact on the city, as Nashville installed 93 tornado sirens the next year when previously there were none.

According to an article from the Tennessean dated April 24, 1998, the tornado outbreak was Hands On’s first known response to a natural disaster. Hands On lead a group of teenage volunteers called People United Leading and Serving Everywhere (PULSE) in East Nashville, helping tornado survivors.

May 2010: The Historic Flood

On May 1st and 2nd, 2010, a devastating flood caused widespread destruction in Middle Tennessee. Hands On served as the central clearinghouse for disaster response volunteers.

The volunteer response was extraordinary. Between May 3 and December 31, 2010, more than 22,000 people donated 91,000 hours to flood recovery and restoration efforts in more than 1,200 volunteer projects through Hands On alone. To put 91,000 hours in perspective – that’s nearly 11 years of time. Another 125,000 volunteer referrals were made by Hands On to facilitate grassroots efforts led by individuals, as well as faith and community groups, in 2010. In all, Hands On mobilized nearly 200,000 volunteers, and helped create a citywide culture of service.

Spring 2020: The Tornado and a Pandemic

A deadly F3 tornado blew through the city just past midnight on March 3, destroying or badly damaging nearly 600 homes and businesses as it tore a straight-line path from the western edge of the county through numerous residential neighborhoods, continuing for more than 60 miles. Within a week of the tornado, more than 26,000 individuals expressed interest in volunteering for relief and recovery efforts via hon.org. Volunteers cleared tornado debris from yards and sidewalks, staffed donation collection and distribution sites, handed out food, canvassed tornado-damaged neighborhoods, tarped storm-damaged roofs, and provided aid and comfort to those reeling from the damage. The response was incredible — a surge of love and support our community won't soon forget.

Two weeks later, COVID-19 came to Middle Tennessee, and the city moved forward with a Safer at Home order. Large tornado cleanup projects halted, and volunteers pivoted to helping meet critical coronavirus-related needs in the community: Distributing food to hungry families whose children were no longer in school, supporting healthcare professionals at Community Assessment Centers, and making and distributing face masks in a time of critical shortages.

March 2021: Historic Flash Flooding

On March 27-28, Nashville received around seven inches of rain. Initial downpours caused creeks to swell, while storms and showers continued to re-develop over some areas for hours, causing severe flash flooding. Many creeks reached their second or third highest level on record, with Sevenmile Creek in Antioch rising to the highest level ever recorded. Rapidly rising waters swept away cars, trapped people in attics, and left four people dead.

These storms impacted more than 1,700 homes and properties. Hands On, along with five other disaster relief organizations worked to support nearly 500 affected homes identified as needing volunteer assistance with mucking, gutting, and debris removal. Additionally, volunteers were led to clean up debris from local streams, homeless encampments, and parks that were littered with debris from a destroyed warehouse. Bilingual volunteers canvassed neighborhoods, held FEMA assistance clinics, and translated important information for survivors. More than 1,400 Hands On volunteers signed up to help with flood recovery efforts.

December 2023: A Tornado Outbreak

On December 9th, a tornado outbreak in Middle Tennessee spawned 7 tornadoes. The strongest of these tornadoes was an EF-3 that touched down near Clarksville and stayed on the ground for more than an hour, eventually crossing into Kentucky. Nearly 900 homes were affected by the outbreak in Davidson, Montgomery and Dickson counties.

Because of Hands On’s agreement with the Office of Emergency Management, Madison was the primary focus in the early phase of the response. But as projects wrapped up there, it was clear that there was still significant work to be done in Clarksville. The team transitioned to lead a citywide cleanup day, and supported several families identified by disaster case managers. Hands On reviewed requests for assistance, while volunteers canvassed homes in impacted areas to determine where assistance was needed. More than 400 volunteers served over 1,500 hours canvassing homes, delivering food, and cleaning up mountains of tree debris.

Today: Where Hands On Is Heading

Hands On merged with the United Way of Greater Nashville in 2024 and continues to nurture the vision of its founders with an even greater reach. With more offerings than ever, Hands On connects thousands of volunteers of all ages to more than 300 service projects each month — many of them aimed to provide creative solutions to some of our community's most pressing needs. Volunteers are essential to continuing this important work. Will you join us?