Dear Chattanooga, we gotcha back - from clothing to household goods.
EASTER 2020 TORNADO RELIEF
WANT TO HELP?
It’s 2020 in Chattanooga; people shouldn’t need to visit 20 donation sites or sift through hundreds of social media posts to give or get help. If you are in a position to help others who were affected by the disaster, select the category of items you have to donate. You’ll be matched with the people reaching out for help to say, “We gotCHA back!”
by CLICKING ON THE LINKS below, you’re agreeing to the terms & conditions
SEE ALL ITEMS HERE OR CLICK A CATEGORY BELOW TO MATCH A SPECIFIC NEED.
CLOTHES
furniture
baby
SHOES
household goods
personal care
toys
cleaning
tools
URGENT
ABOUT gotCHA
efficiently matching top needs with people reaching out to say, “we gotcha.”
People want to help those affected by disaster, but piles of donated goods often turn out to be more burdensome than helpful. It’s estimated that about 60% of donated items cannot be used in the urgent days after a disaster. By streamlining resources available at area donation sites, gotCHA makes it easier to give and get help.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How does the site work?
If you are in a position to help others who were affected by the disaster, select the category of items you can donate. You’ll then see a list of specific needs that disaster survivors have requested through our partner organizations. From this list, claim the items you’ll donate, note its Reference ID and follow the requesting organization’s drop off instructions. Pickup may be available for certain furniture items or other bulky goods.
Please do not donate broken or soiled items – your well-meant donation will waste the time of a family in need and will be discarded to make room for more usable items.
When do I need to deliver the items I am donating?
Get on it! This site is intended to meet the most urgent needs. As a donor, you should select an item to donate and connect ASAP with the organization that requested it.
As individual and family needs change through various stages of recovery, the most immediate needs will be listed on this site through July 2020.
Can I see the needs THAT HAVE BEEN MET?
Absolutely. After someone says “gotCHA,” the items they selected to donate are removed from the active listing, but can be viewed by clicking here. When you consider the total impact of all that’s been donated, the generosity of Chattanoogans may astound you!
WHERE DO DONATIONS OFFERED THROUGH THIS SITE GO?
gotCHA exists to amplify and expedite the outpouring of support that is happening across the Chattanooga community. 100% of items listed on this site have been requested by an individual or family in need. Donations will be processed by our partner organizations and given directly to the household that requested them.
CAN I DONATE MONEY OR GIFT CARDS INSTEAD OF CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS?
This site is intended to address inefficiencies in regards to donated goods, so no money or gift cards can be donated here. There are numerous fundraising efforts already in place for awesome people like you (Community Foundation/United Way’s Tornado Relief Fund is a great place to start). Our partner organizations can put your gift cards to great use. Drop them off with the items you’re donating for families in need if you feel so moved.
HOW OFTEN IS THE SITE UPDATED?
The site is constantly updated automatically. Organizations add needed items as they learn of them, and items are removed from the list each time a volunteer donor marks “gotCHA!” The site is monitored by a team of volunteers and new content will be rolled out as long as the need exists. We anticipate managing this site through July 2020 to help with the Easter 2020 tornadoes.
Who runs gotCHA?
This project has been a joint volunteer effort by a group of Chattanooga connections with a combined set of experiences spanning from community organizing to nonprofit management to data research to traditional tech/design. The site was developed and built to meet an immediate set of resource needs, though we hope to improve the site as a long-term solution for future needs.
Are there ways to partner?
Absolutely! If you are associated with an organization that has been collecting data about families in need, fill out the Partner Application form. A gotCHA volunteer will reach out with next steps when your application is approved.
I’m looking to do a story about this effort. Who do I contact?
We love that you want to share some good news! Contact us at info@gotcha.care and we’ll be in touch.