Senator Bill Frist To Chair Mayor’s Covid-19 Response Fund

NASHVILLE, TN – March 18, 2020 – In response to the public health emergency declared by the Metropolitan Board of Health on March 15, Mayor John Cooper with philanthropic, corporate, and government partners has created the COVID-19 Response Fund at United Way of Greater Nashville. The Fund’s advisory committee will be chaired by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, MD.

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, individuals and families throughout the Nashville community will be impacted. As bars and restaurants close or reduce their capacities, schools and childcare centers are unable to open, and businesses see diminished revenues, the economic effects will be immense, particularly for those living paycheck to paycheck. Many families still struggling to recover from the recent tornadoes will find their path to stable housing and financial stability even more challenging.

“We are deeply grateful to United Way and to our corporate and philanthropic partners for stepping up yet again to assist our neighbors who are hurting from the ripple effects of the current public health emergency,” Mayor John Cooper stated. “We urge everyone to assist each other while remaining vigilant to the limitations imposed by social distancing. One easy way to help those directly affected by the economic restrictions caused by the coronavirus is to provide monetary support to the COVID-19 Response Fund. For Nashville to rebound as quickly as possible, we need to be sure that all our local employees, particularly those in our entertainment and hospitality industry, have our support. This Fund has been created to help with that effort.”

The COVID-19 Response Fund was established to quickly and effectively address both the health and economic challenges of this virus. Chaired by former Senator Dr. Bill Frist, the Fund will rapidly deploy resources to community-based organizations. The Fund will focus its initial allocations on helping Nashville residents who are experiencing lost wages or who are ill from the virus receive the assistance they need to stay in their homes and keep food on the table.

The Fund will launch with more than $1 million, and any administrative overhead will be covered by generous philanthropic partners, thereby allowing 100% of the money raised for the Fund to directly benefit those in need. The first donation of $500,000 was made by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., whose hospitality industry partners are among the most impacted due to mandatory closures and other restrictions.

“I want to thank the Mayor for taking the lead on setting up this fund,” said Butch Spyridon, President and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “Beyond everyone’s health, there is not a more pressing need in our community. It was an easy decision to step up and support efforts to bring relief to those who make our hospitality industry ‘work’ and the many others in need.”

Funds will be released on a rolling basis as fundraising continues throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of the crisis, making it possible to move resources rapidly and to adapt to evolving needs in subsequent funding phases.

“This is new territory for the greater Nashville region and for the country,” said Brian Hassett, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Nashville. “People are really going to be struggling to make ends meet and we want to do everything we can to show them that we are here to help. This is an opportunity for our community to come together and demonstrate that we believe in supporting each other in times of need. Nashville did just that in the days following the tornadoes and we can do it again as we face this new crisis.”

Members of the advisory committee will work with the Mayor’s Office and United Way to quickly assess the needs and make rapid funding decisions to ensure a thorough and efficient process. The committee members will include:

Angie Adams: President and CEO, PENCIL

Katina Beard, MSPH: CEO Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center

Maneet Chauhan and Vivek Deora: Founders and Partners of Morph Hospitality

Robert Dittus, MD., MPH: Director of Institute for Medicine and Public Health

Mary Falls: Senior Advisor, Office of Mayor John Cooper

Sen. Bill Frist, MD (Chair)

Joe Galante: Chair CMA Foundation Board, former CEO and chair of Sony Music Nashville

Pastor Robert Gardenhire: Minister Schrader Lane Church of Christ

Benjamin Goldberg: Founder and Co-owner, Strategic Hospitality

Wanda Lyle: Managing Director - General Manager UBS Business Solutions Center Nashville

Rob Mortenson: President/CEO TN Hospitality Association

Juliana Ospina Cano: Executive Director, Conexion Americas

Brad Rayson: President SEIU Local 205

Butch Spyridon: President and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation

Consuelo Wilkins, MD, MSCI: VP for Health Equity, Vanderbilt University, Executive Director Meharry Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance

For more information about the COVID-19 Response Fund, or to make a donation, visit www.unitedwaynashville.org/covid-19.

For general information about Nashville’s response, visit www.covid19.nashville.gov.

About United Way of Greater Nashville

At United Way, we unite the community and mobilize resources so that every child, individual and family thrives. Together, we are fighting for a community where every child receives a quality education, no one lives in poverty or poor health, and the most basic needs of our families are met. We are uniquely positioned to the lead this fight by bringing individuals, businesses, nonprofits and government to the table to have the tough conversations, mobilize the resources and make the smart investments that will create lasting solutions for our region’s most pressing issues. For more information, visit www.unitedwaygreaternashville.org and follow us on social media @UWNashville.