By Khristian Vickers

When a tornado tore through Clarksville on Dec. 9, 2023, it did not just destroy homes. It disrupted lives, displacing families and leaving an entire community searching for what came next.

Years later, that answer begins to take shape, one home at a time.

“Obviously, the tornado upended our community,” said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts. “But the fact that many people came together to make these homes a reality is what makes Clarksville special.”

In the months before the tornado, flooding had already impacted the area, testing both resources and resilience. Through each disaster, support arrived, often quietly, from not only the American Red Cross but community partners as well.

“From the flooding to the tornado, we’ve had multiple opportunities for the Red Cross to step in,” Mayor Pitts said. “And they’ve done phenomenal work.”

Now, that presence continues through long term recovery efforts, where partnerships are helping transform empty lots into new beginnings. Organizations like Appalachia Service Project (ASP) are leading rebuilding efforts, working alongside the Red Cross and the city to help families return home.

“These houses wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the city and the partnerships that made this possible,” said Chris Schroeder, Vice President of Disaster Recovery and Resilience for Appalachia Service Project.

For Schroeder, the work is personal. Once a volunteer himself, he now leads recovery efforts fueled by people willing to give their time and energy to help others.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of what we do,” he said. “They’re the backbone of everything.”

Some volunteers arrive with construction experience, while others simply come ready to jump in and help however they can.

“It is not about skill,” Schroeder said. “It is about the desire to help neighbors.”

That willingness has powered long days of work and steady progress. Families often return to the sites, watching their homes take shape and connecting with the volunteers building them.

Partnerships between trusted organizations like Clarksville-Montgomery Long Term Recovery Group, Fahe and 3BM Construction, to name a few, fuel the work that continues over time following life-changing disasters.

Behind the scenes, donor support also makes a huge impact.

“This is one of my favorite parts of the job,” said Chris McGreevy, Director of Long-Term Recovery Operations for the American Red Cross. “We get to see the families our donors are helping.”

Over the past year, ASP has welcomed six family’s home and now looks forward to celebrating their continued recovery alongside eight additional families. Together, these 14 families represent a significant milestone in the region’s long-term disaster recovery efforts. Each home is a mortgage-free gift of grace.

The Clarksville Quilt Posse donated handcrafted quilts made by their local volunteer guild to families moving into their new homes. Before presenting the quilts, the group gathered for a moment of prayer, adding care and intention to each gift.

Today, new homes stand where there was once uncertainty. Families are closer to returning, and a community continues to move forward together.

Learn more about the American Red Cross and long-term recovery efforts by visiting, https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services.html.