Disaster Relief - Independent Community Pharmacies

My recent trip to Newport, Tennessee, to visit one of our disaster relief fund grantees, provided a powerful lesson in the importance of what Bill White, former chairman of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, called, “shoe-leather philanthropy”. It’s about being in the field with, listening to, talking with and learning from, grantees and their communities. Reading reports and reviewing applications offers a glimpse into community needs, but nothing replaces the firsthand experience of meeting the people you're serving and witnessing their challenges. Newport, like many small towns across America, faces unique hurdles, and this visit illuminated them in a way that data and documents simply couldn't.

My visit to the Wilson’s Sav-Mor Drugs, a pharmacy in Newport, TN, was particularly touching. While the flood primarily impacted their basement, their rapid return to semi-operational status is a testament to the resilience and dedication of the staff. They didn't hesitate to pitch in, cleaning up the store and preparing to serve their community. Like their pivot during COVID, they quickly moved to a curbside service model, adapting quickly to their situation following the flooding. In the first three and a half hours after they reopened they sold 160 scripts and gave them all out curbside. The number of prescriptions they filled in such a short amount of time upon reopening speaks volumes about the community's need and the vital role the local pharmacy plays. No one was let into the store for about two weeks. So, everything for two weeks had to be run out to the patients that way.

Beyond filling prescriptions, the staff went above and beyond, collecting essential items like diapers for those in need, truly embodying the spirit of community support.

Their nimbleness was thanks in part to the pharmacy owner’s unwavering commitment to reopening, employing a "whatever it takes" approach. The pharmacist in charge explained that, as a last resort, they could have moved patients to one of the owner's other locations. Fortunately, that wasn't necessary. Looking across the street, I noticed City Hall near the water. The pharmacist in charge explained that they fared much worse, requiring a temporary relocation while repairs were made. The contrast between the pharmacy's experience and the City Hall underscored the uneven impact disasters can have and with just a one block difference in distance from the water.

An impromptu visit with the City Administrator, a lifelong resident and public servant, provided further context. "According to our research," he explained, “the last time there was a comparable event, the last major flood we had along the lines of September 27th was around the 1900s, 1906 or 1908 to the best of our local historians’ records."

Perhaps the most unsettling image from my visit was the washed-away railroad trestle, a reminder of the flood's destructive power. Seeing the ongoing repairs four months later emphasized the long road to recovery that Newport faces. It's difficult to fully comprehend the force required to cause such devastation. The Pigeon River at Newport reached a gauge height of 27.13 feet, almost four feet over its previous record of 23.4 feet, rising roughly 22 feet in 16 hours, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.

The flooding wasn't just a possibility; it was a scenario the city had planned for, albeit one they hadn't experienced in nearly a century.

However, the reality, triggered by excessive rainfall due to Hurricane Helene far exceeded their expectations. During my conversation with the City Administrator, it was clear that the scale of the disaster, the heartbreaking loss of life, and the nine-day wait for FEMA assistance created immense challenges for their small community. (We later learned that FEMA’s delay was because Tennessee was the last state to request federal aid.) The City Administrator also mentioned that media coverage was minimal and often inaccurate, making sure to clarify that there was no “dam failure” in Newport.

Instead, heavy rainfall combined with Duke Energy opening all gates on the Waterville Dam caused the major flooding. Critically, Duke Energy failed to notify the City of Newport about the floodgate openings, despite prior discussions and planning. This lack of communication led to a potentially unnecessary and delayed evacuation, tragically resulting in the deaths of an elderly couple who, had they stayed home, likely would have survived.

The news coverage of Newport’s disaster recovery also seemed to fade quickly after the initial flood. My search revealed an article from November 19th, highlighting the struggles of downtown Newport businesses. A disaster of this magnitude creates compounding financial strains. When residents struggle to recover, local businesses, including pharmacies, suffer. It was heartening to learn that the local government provided grant funding to affected businesses, with plans for a second round soon. This local support, combined with our assistance, is crucial for small businesses like independent community pharmacies to recover from disasters.

My visit left me deeply impressed by Newport's resilience and resourcefulness. They have accomplished so much with limited external support, demonstrating that communities often understand their needs best and can make significant progress when given the resources to address their own recovery. This experience reinforces the importance of direct engagement of nonprofits with grantees whenever possible. It also underscores the power of place-based philanthropy to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of those we serve.

Links:

• Watch the video of the visit
• Read the full article with pictures