MuttNation’s Tennessee Tornado and Pandemic Efforts
NASHVILLE – Just over two months ago, and just before the pandemic took hold of the country, Nashville and other areas of Tennessee were rocked by numerous devastating, deadly tornadoes. And, just like everyone else who calls the Volunteer State home, Miranda Lambert knew that she had to do whatever possible to help with the recovery. “We knew people needed to come first, but MuttNation is here because we have to watch over the animals, too,” said the top ACM award-winning country superstar whose Foundation has been helping shelter pets since 2009.
Miranda galvanized nearly 1,000 donors whose tornado relief funds were matched by Tractor Supply Co., Generous (a Nashville-based online giving platform) and MuttNation. Upon hearing that the Foundation exceeded its $75,000 fundraising goal Miranda said, “My heart is filled with both sadness for everyone who suffered – and with gratitude for everyone who has stepped up.”
One-hundred percent of the proceeds received by MuttNation were allocated to the following shelters and organizations that were either damaged or assisted during and after the tornadoes: Agape Animal Rescue, Crossroads Campus, Friends of MACC, Nashville Humane Association, the Pet Community Center, Putnam County Humane, the Putnam TN Disaster Animal Relief Team (DART) and the Wilson County DART.
Since the pandemic struck, Miranda has continued to voice her appreciation and admiration for the frontline workers, volunteers and those who live it every day – by saying, “These are my heroes.”
She has also used her platform to encourage animal lovers who are able to foster or adopt so they can “Shelter in place with a shelter pet.” While she doesn’t take credit for the fact that many animal shelters in Nashville and across the country have reported record numbers of fosters and adoptions since the Coronavirus outbreak, she revels in the knowledge that so many people have opened their homes and their hearts during such a challenging time and is hopeful that all the fosters will also find their forever homes.