In the middle of the night on March 3rd an EF-3 tornado tore through Nashville and left many families homeless, devastated and shaken up. Lockeland Springs, which just so happens to be my home, was one of the main neighborhoods in East Nashville, which was hit directly, leaving a trail of half-constructed houses and uprooted trees laying across totaled cars. A street that used to be characterized by beautiful trees now looks completely different and foreign in the wake of the tornado.

Cost per tree = $120.
Our goal is to plant 100 trees this fall :-)

These trees are a symbol of Hope & will represent a home in Lockeland Springs that is going to come back stronger than before!  We have already experienced our community growing closer together in the aftermath of the tornado and have been overwhelmed by the love that others have shown in the clean-up efforts. One of my neighbor’s fences was torn down from the storm and she said “No more fences, lets build community gardens and do this together”.

Please consider giving to this resilient community as we rebuild by planting one tree at a time. It’s not just about planting a tree, it’s about healing, it’s about having faith in tomorrow and looking towards the future as we hold the hand of our neighbor and say “Instead of building fences on our own, we will plant trees in community, because we need each other and we are stronger together”.

Let’s make Lockeland Springs feel like home again :-)

God bless you!
-Andrew Ripp

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy & peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
-Romans 15:13