2021
2021
Page last updated: 6/2021
Tennessee was struck by powerful storms from March 25th thru April 3rd, 2021. On May 8th, President Biden declared a major disaster.
People in the following counties are eligible to receive federal disaster assistance:
A toll-free legal assistance hotline is now available to support survivors. This service is a partnership between the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA), the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS), the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other local organizations. Low-income individuals facing legal issues as a result of these severe storms and flooding may cal l1-844-HELP4TN (1-844-435-7486).
You can find the entire press release here (PDF download).
FEMA Application Deadline
Wednesday, July 7th, 2021
Appeal your FEMA decision letter
Within 60 days of the date on the determination letter.
Applications for FEMA Assistance can be submitted by:
Phone: Contact FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY users can call 1-800-462-7585.
Online: Fill out the application at DisasterAssistance.gov
In-Person: You can also fill out the application at a FEMA Disaster Resource Center (DRC).
Mobile Registration Intake Center: MRICs move around regularly. They will be in an area for a short period of time to help survivors who need registration help. Visit FEMA’s disaster declaration webpage to find more information about the Mobile Registration Intake Center locations and hours.
Disaster Recovery Center: To find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s DRC locator or text “DRC” and your zip code to 43362 (4FEMA) to locate a Disaster Recovery Center in your area.
Due to the COVID-19 nationwide emergency declared by President Trump and the need to protect the safety and health of all Americans; FEMA will conduct remote home inspections for disaster survivors until further notice.
This fact sheet provides information about that process. It includes links to PDF and plain text versions.
Created by FEMA, this handout provides a basic overview what to expect after you have applied for assistance.
Este folleto, creado por FEMA, brinda una descripción general básica de lo que puede esperar después de haber solicitado asistencia.
Please check your local news and local officials for the latest safety and shelter resources.
Access information on Safety and Shelter assistance through the resources below.
Explore resources from the American Red Cross on how to stay safe and recover from a disaster.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are accessible facilities and mobile offices you can visit to learn more about FEMA and other disaster assistance programs. You may also visit to ask questions about your case. DRCs are set up in convenient areas after a disaster to make them easier to find.
A DRC may be able to help you:
To find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s DRC locator or text “DRC” and your zip code to 43362 (4FEMA) to locate a Disaster Recovery Center in your area.
If an emergency has forced you to evacuate your home, the Red Cross may be able to help. Search for open American Red Cross shelters near you with the “Find an Open Shelter” Tool.
A toll-free legal assistance hotline is now available to support survivors. This service is a partnership between the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA), the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS), the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other local organizations. Low-income individuals facing legal issues as a result of these severe storms and flooding may cal l1-844-HELP4TN (1-844-435-7486).
You can find the entire press release here (PDF download).
888-743-5749
To help meet the growing legal needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division has teamed up with RingCentral Inc. to create a national hotline to connect the Disaster Legal Services Program (DLS) with those seeking civil legal services.
(615) 383-7421
221 Fourth Ave. North
Suite 400
Nashville, TN 37219
Professional association of lawyers.
Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic. Qualifying users post their civil legal question to their state’s website. Users will then be emailed when their question receives a response. There is no fee for the use of the system or for the advice and information provided by the attorney.
ABA Free Legal Answers is a website operated by the American Bar Association (ABA) and by an entity or entities in the state where the client lives.
(800) 238-1443
1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Suite 400
Nashville, TN 37217
Provides free civil legal services to low-income people.
607 W Summit Hill Dr. SW
Knoxville, TN
Provides free civil legal services to low-income people.
(800) 372-8346
P. O. Box 2066
Jackson, Tennessee 38302-2066
Provides free civil legal services to low-income people.
The Nashville Bar Association, established in 1831, is a professional organization focused on serving the legal community of Nashville, Tennessee. The NBA is the largest metropolitan bar association in Tennessee with over 2,600 members. Among other things, it provides continuing legal programming for attorneys, skills workshops for young attorneys, networking opportunities for practitioners, and opportunities for pro bono and community service connections across middle Tennessee
Guided by Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. immortal words: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” the Napier-Looby Bar Association is a Nashville-based bar association dedicated to the advancement and development of African-American attorneys. Its membership consists of attorneys, in the private and public sectors, as well as judges, law professors, law students, paralegals and other individuals interested in issues affecting the African-American community. In coordinating leadership training, continuing legal education, pro bono and networking opportunities, the NLBA promotes the objectives of the National Bar Association and addresses the needs of the African-American community.
The Tennessee Fair Housing Council is a private, non-profit organization, which promotes equity and diversity in housing and safeguards access to affordable housing for under-served and marginalized populations through education, outreach, and enforcement of the Federal Fair Housing Act. The TFHC takes complaints from individuals who believe they are experiencing or have experienced a difference in treatment based on their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability. The Council may enforce its client’s rights by negotiating disability-related accommodations with landlords or providing legal advice regarding filing an administrative complaint or lawsuit. The TFHC is based in Nashville and concentrates enforcement on Davidson and Wilson Counties.
The Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts is a program of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville. The VLPA provides free legal services to low-income artists and creatives of all disciplines and arts nonprofits. The VLPA may be able to assist artists, creatives, arts-related businesses, and arts nonprofits impacted by the Middle Tennessee tornados. For more information, please email vlpa@abcnashville.org or call 615-460-8274.