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United Way’s “Restore the Dream” Fund
May 07, 2010Background
In 1999, the Restore the Dream fund was established through a personal gift from Cal Turner, Jr. and a corporate gift from Dollar General Corporation. This fund was established to assist nonprofit organizations throughout Middle Tennessee recover and resume operations in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. The fund is managed and administered by United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. A committee of volunteers reviews the grant proposals. The fund was established as a result of a 1997 arson fire that destroyed a Dollar General store in the Sam Levy Homes. This store, a collaboration of Dollar General, YWCA, United Way and others, provided local residents training and work opportunities . Realizing the financial impact the store had on the neighborhood, Dollar General Corporation and the community worked together to reopen the store in 1998. After the successful reopening, Cal Turner, Jr. then CEO of Dollar General and Dollar General Corporation established the Restore the Dream Fund to help other organizations rebuild after facing similar situations.
May 2010
Since May 1, as the rains that flooded Nashville and surrounding areas began, United Way of Metropolitan Nashville has been working behind the scenes checking in on our nonprofit partners and monitoring calls to 2-1-1. As the community shifts from the “rescue and recovery” phase to the “restore and rebuild” phase, United Way has activated its Restore The Dream Fund established more than a dozen years ago to support service agencies during and after disasters, including structure and infrastructure restoration.
Restore The Dream is:
- A vehicle for corporations and other organizations to support the long-term capital structure and infrastructure restoration of the community. It will provide resources to the network of non-profit service providers who respond to human needs and assist individuals in putting their lives back together.
- A vehicle for individuals to support the network of nonprofit agency programs as they deplete resources meeting immediate and short term needs of individuals. This includes providing reinforcements for organizations such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, Second Harvest and many others.
To Make A Gift, Individuals May:
1. Give online
2. Text to give on mobile phones:Text RESTORE to UNITED (864833) to give $10 to help Nashville.
3. Send a check to United Way Restore The Dream Fund, 250 Venture Circle, Nashville, Tennessee 37228.
4. Make a pledge by phone by calling United Way office at 615-255-8501.
To Make A Corporate or Organizational Commitment:
Contact Ed Lemieux, Senior Director of Fund Raising and Marketing, United Way of Metropolitan Nashville at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or by telephone at 615-780-2416.
United Way gifts are at work in the community 24 hours a day, 7days a week, 365 days a year helping to build the community’s capacity to respond to human needs, particularly in the areas of financial stability, education, health, and neighborhoods. In the aftermath of natural disasters, United Way assumes a leadership role in helping to rebuild and restore lives.
Through its 2-1-1 Help Line, United Way connects individuals in need with resources and over 7,000 programs to help meet their need. Additionally, through 2-1-1, United Way maintains an ongoing real-time view of needs in 53 counties across the state.
