FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The visitor center in downtown Franklin will serve as a drop off location for non-perishable food items and reusable bags that will go to those affected by tornadoes across Middle Tennessee earlier this week. Franklin-based One Generation Away will use the donated items to set up mobile and pop-up pantries in Davidson, Wilson, and Putnam County over the coming weeks as each continues to recover.
“Our hearts break for our friends and neighbors in Nashville, Mt. Juliet, Cookeville, and all the communities across Middle Tennessee that have felt the devastation of these tornadoes,” said Visit Franklin President and CEO Ellie Westman Chin. “One Gen Away is an amazing organization that travels the country to help those in need, and we are proud to partner with them to do what we can to help our neighbors in their time of need.”
The visitor center is located in downtown Franklin at 400 Main Street and will accept donations through March 13. Items can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and noon – 5 p.m on Sunday. Items of greatest need include; sturdy, reusable bags, bottled water, peanut butter, pop-top cans of chicken, tuna, fruits, and vegetables. While cans of all kinds will be accepted, the pop-top variety is the greatest need since many of the victims may still be without conventional ovens and prepare meals in microwaves.
If people would like to help but are unable to drop items off at the visitor center, they can make monetary contributions online at OneGenAway.com/donate. All donations marked ‘disaster relief’ will go specifically to the efforts to support Middle Tennessee communities recovering from tornado damage.
“Our community learned a lot about relief efforts in 2010 when we went through our historic flood,” said One Generation Away Founder & Director Chris Whitney. “Immediately after the disaster, aid is coming in from around the country, but in the weeks and months that follow life will continue to go on and the need will still be there. That is the need we want to help fulfill. We want our friends across Middle Tennessee to know that we’ll be here to help and support them for the long haul.”
ABOUT VISIT FRANKLIN Visit Franklin is the public brand name of the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Visit Franklin is the official destination marketing organization for Franklin and the unique communities of Williamson County, Tennessee. Visit Franklin stimulates economic growth through the promotion of travel and tourism assets such as history, music, attractions, entertainment, the arts, and events to visitors from around the world. For information on Franklin and Williamson County, visit us on the web at VisitFranklin.com.
ABOUT ONE GENERATION AWAY One Generation Away was birthed from the dream that we can eliminate poverty, racism, and denominationalism in our lifetime. We believe that there is a mission field right outside our front door and that we will reach people lovingly through service. OneGen is dedicated to providing emergency food service to those in need via mobile pantries, as well as through partnerships with hospitals, social workers, schools, law enforcement, churches, civic groups, and many others who want to wipe hunger off the face of America. #MyGenIsOneGen marks our commitment to taking ownership of these social issues and working to better our community, together.
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Matt is the guy who is always ready to share a story with you.
With a passion for new experiences, taking the back roads, and seeing everything possible, Matt serves as Visit Franklin's Senior Director of Public Relations connecting the many unique stories in the Franklin community with great journalists and storytellers worldwide. When not pitching a story idea to travel writers, you’ll likely find him working as a photographer on the sidelines of college and professional sports events across the Southeast.