CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Many families are getting ready for the holidays and buying Christmas presents, but for those affected by the tornadoes, this holiday season may look a lot different.
Organizations are making sure Montgomery County children don’t go without.
"There’s no words to really describe what a kid would be going through when you’re waking up one day with all the traditions and things and then waking up the next day that it’s all gone," YAIPAK volunteer Shawnee Bledsoe said.
For a lot of people, it’s hard to wrap your head around the devastation in Clarksville, and it's even more difficult when you’re a young child.
"We got about 4,600 kids impacted with this tornado," Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden said.
With Christmas being only a few weeks away, the nonprofit Y’all Squad wanted to make sure those kids didn’t go without.
Check out how @TheYallSquad is showing up in Clarksville Tennessee. #Tennessee #TennesseeTornado pic.twitter.com/TkXcScej4u
— Caleb Beacham (@CB_StormChasing) December 12, 2023
"Y'all Squad is an organization that is tied to Ryan Hall and he’s a meteorologist with a huge YouTube following," Bledsoe said.
They donated about $14,000 worth of gifts to the Clarksville-based organization YAIPAK. Other organizations joining in too.
"The Y'all Squad and Kiwanis everybody wants to make sure these kids still have a Christmas," County Mayor Golden said.
They gifted all sorts of items like laptops, iPads, video consoles, and more. The donation was a total surprise to the volunteers of YAIPAK picking up the items. Bledsoe knows the gifts won’t solve all their problems, but at least it will give kids a little hope.
"They’re going to struggle a lot through the experiences they have. Whatever we can do to try to help soften that blow we’re here for it," Bledsoe said.
YAIPAK is also helping those affected by the tornado with food, clothes, and toiletry items.
They’re also accepting more presents because they’re planning a huge city Christmas party.
If you would like to donate presents you can drop them off with Bledsoe. She's an insurance agent at Shelter Insurance located at 120 Merchants Blvd Clarksville, TN 37040.
You can drop of presents off with her. To stay up to date with YAIPAK, clickhere. NewsChannel 5 will keep you posted on when the gifts will be distributed.
