VOAD - Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster - is a national non-operational umbrella organization that gives each of its members the privilege of independently, but cooperatively, providing and implementing resources when responding to disasters. Tennessee VOAD meets on a regular basis to plan for and to educate the members about how they may serve their community before, during and after a disaster. The organization seeks to prevent the duplication of effort through collaboration of available services in natural or manmade disaster such as floods, fires, and storms. Our focus is on collaboration and communications during disasters. We provide opportunities to serve our community when it is most needed.
VOAD coordinates planning efforts by many voluntary organizations responding to disaster. Member organizations provide more effective and less duplication in service by getting together before disasters strike. Once disasters occur, NVOAD or an affiliated state VOAD encourages members and other voluntary agencies to convene on site. This cooperative effort has proven to be the most effective way for a wide variety of volunteers and organizations to work together in a crisis.
The general criteria for membership in Tennessee VOAD is: transparency and accountability; voluntary membership or constituencies; published financial forms; annual audits; adherence to established fundraising practices (such as those described by the Association of Fundraising Professionals).
An organization must provide one or more of the following types of relief services:
- Preparedness and/or mitigation
- Mass Care
- Emergency assistance and casework
- Emotional and/or spiritual care
- Supporting services to State/Territory VOAD member agencies
- Recovery
- Donations Management
- Volunteer Management
- Outreach and/or information and referral
- Animals and Pets Services
There are three classifications of membership in TN VOAD: Sustaining; Associate; Collegial:
SUSTAINING MEMBERS:
Adventist Community Services - GA / Cumberland Conference
Adventist Community Services- KY/TN Conference
Adventist Community Services - So Central Conference
Middle Tennessee Red Cross Chapters
American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee, Kingsport
Appalachian Chapter, Oak Ridge
Benton County Chapter, Camden
Blount County Chapter, Maryville
Clarksville - Montgomery County Chapter, Clarksville
Cumberland County Chapter, Crossville
Dyer County Chapter, Dyersburg
Greater Chattanooga Area Chapter of the ARC, Chatttanooga
Greene County Chapter, Greeneville
Heart of Tennessee Chapter, Murfreesboro
Hiwassee Chapter, Cleveland
Jackson Area Chapter, Jackson
Knoxville Area Chapter, Knoxville
Lakeway Area Chapter, Morristown
Lawrence County Chapter, Lawrenceburg
Lincoln County Chapter, Fayetteville
Marshall County Chapter, Lewisburg
Maury County Chapter, Columbia
Mid-South Chapter, Memphis
Monroe County Chapte, Sweetwater
Nashville Area Chapter, Nashville
Obion County Chapter, Union City
Shiloh Area Chapter, Savannah
Warren County Chapter, Mcminnville
Williamson County Chapter, Franklin
Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc.
Centerstone of Tennessee
Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort, Inc.
Church World Service, Inc.
Convoy of Hope
The Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
Hands On Nashville, Inc.
Hope Force International
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Mid-South District
Lutheran Disaster Response (Lutheran Services of TN)
Mercy Medical Airlift
(HSEATS-Homeland Security Emergency Air Transportation System)
Operation Blessing International Relief and Develpoment Corp.
Operation Compassion
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Presbytery of East Tennessee
The Salvation Army - Kentucky and Tennessee Division
* The Salvation Army - Memphis Area Command
The Salvation Army - Nashville Area Command
Samaritan's Purse
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee
Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads
Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief
Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Tennessee Federation of Fire Chaplains
Tennessee Manufactured Housing Foundation
United Church of Christ-Southeast Conference
United Methodist Church / DR - Memphis Conference
United Methodist Relief-Tennessee Conference
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS:
Disability Law and Advocacy Center of Tennessee
Federal Emergency Management Agency - Region IV
Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
COLLEGIAL MEMBERS:
Nashville / Davidson County VOAD
Northeast Tennessee Regional VOAD
Southeast Tennessee Regional VOAD
Southern Middle Tennessee Regional VOAD