Thanks to the generosity of our community, UT was able to fill not just one, but TWO trucks for tornado relief Tuesday. The UT football team semi-truck and another large box truck were loaded with cases of water, food, clothing, and household cleaning supplies, as well as many other needed items. The items were delivered to Salvation Army distribution centers in Bradley and Greene counties Wednesday. The donations will benefit ten East Tennessee counties named disaster areas after the late-April tornadoes and severe weather.
UT Athletics also donated $25,000 from the football orange and white spring game to the American Red Cross for Tennessee relief efforts.
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In addition to many individual donations, several corporations and organizations also stepped up to help. Each of the nine local Home Depot stores donated a truck full of cleaning and rebuilding supplies. Coca-Cola Refreshments donated seventy-nine cases of tea, vitaminwater®, and other beverages. Adidas and the UT Bookstore donated more than 2,500 UT football T-shirts, which were given to individuals who donated. The rest of the shirts were put on the truck for use in the affected areas. TeamVOLS, UT’s student service organization, began collecting items for relief immediately after the storms. The group donated two van-loads of items and provided many volunteers for the donation drive.
Special thanks to these organizations, to the many individuals who donated, to staff from UT Athletics and the campus for organizing the effort, and to the students and staff who worked all day receiving, sorting, and loading the trucks. This was truly a Volunteer effort.