YOUR Williamson County COVID-19 Updates

GraceWorks will extend its modified structure of a drive-through food distribution and over-the-phone rent and utility assistance services until at least mid-April.

GraceWorks will extend their modified structure until at least April 14 when leaders will reconsider operations based on local, state, federal, and CDC recommendations.

Drive-through food distribution and rent and utility assistance are available from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday and from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Rent and utility requests are taken over the phone by calling the main number, (615) 794-9055.

GraceWorks will be closed Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11, in observance of Easter.

With the onset of the coronavirus, GraceWorks modified its normal 15+ service structure to offer only food and rent and utility help in a system designed to ensure safety for families needing help and safety for GraceWorks staff.

People needing food drive up to the building, where shopping carts full of fresh and nonperishable foods are put in their car trunks. No one leaves the car.

The nonprofit has seen dramatic increases in demand since modifying services March 19. Since then, GraceWorks has fulfilled double the requests for food and for rent assistance than the nonprofit normally sees. In its last fiscal year, GraceWorks helped 10,333 people through all its services.

Increases included a record-breaking mobile food panty in Fairview March 28 that provided food to 292 families.

GraceWorks budget is becoming strained not only by the increase in demand but also by the closing of the GraceWorks Thrift Store, which normally provides $20,000 a week, or about 40%, of the ministry’s income for programming.

To help GraceWorks fight the effects of this pandemic and stabilize our neighbors through this crisis, donations may be made through the GraceWorks website, www.graceworksministries.net/donate. A list of ways to help can be found at https://www.graceworksministries.net/five-ways-you-can-help-graceworks/.

While Thrift Store gift cards may also be purchased on the website to use later, GraceWorks is not accepting donations to the store at this time. Food, diapers and personal hygiene items may be donated by contacting Director of Development Alicia Bell at abell@graceworksministries.net.

Brentwood City Services Modified Due to Employee Testing Positive for COVID-19

Executive Order 22 Closes All Playground Structures in Parks The City of Brentwood received confirmation on Monday, March 30th that an employee in the Brentwood Planning and Codes Department tested positive for the novel Coronavirus also called COVID-19. The employee was last at work, in City Hall, on Tuesday, March 24. City Manager Kirk Bednar said, “given the nature of our building layout and the shared use of equipment and facilities, all non-essential personnel in the Planning and Codes, Finance, Human Resources, Police Records and Administration Departments were sent home to self-quarantine through Tuesday, April 7, which would be the fourteenth day since the employee was last at work.” Essential personnel in Information Technology and Public Safety will remain at work. Bednar added “the employee is at home self-isolating under the care of a physician.” A professional cleaning team has conducted a thorough cleaning and deep sanitization of the offices, workstations and the building. This will impact the Planning and Codes Department in terms of some operations. Several processes can be done online, such as submitting plans and permit applications. You can find a list of other services online. Planning and Codes Director Jeff Dobson said, “many of our employees have been set up to work remotely and as long as our Codes Inspectors are not symptomatic, they will continue to conduct field inspections by appointment only. Inspectors will ask residents to maintain a social distance of a minimum of six-feet during all inspections,” Dobson added. “We have already altered our onsite inspection protocols to eliminate personal interactions with contractors while on a job site,” said Dobson. Also, following Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order 22, which suspends all non-essential activities, all playground structures in Brentwood City Parks will be closed today. The order states that “congregating or playing on playgrounds presents a unique risk for the spread of COVID-19 and is therefore not covered as an Essential Activity.” In addition, all volleyball nets have been removed due to large crowds previously congregating. All parks will now close at dusk, around 7pm each day. ###

Williamson County COVID-19 Prevention & Preparedness
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responding to a respiratory disease by a novel (new) coronavirus. The virus has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). Here’s what you can do to avoid illness and prevent the spread Coronavirus...

http://www.williamsonready.org/266/Coronavirus-Disease

Below is a quick glance of food resources in Williamson County. GraceWorks Ministries also helps with rent and utilities.

GraceWorks Ministries | website: https://www.graceworksministries.net/

Modified services will include access to food and rent and utility assistance. Assessment for rent and utility assistance is available by phone 615.794.9055, ext. 3
GraceWorks will conduct drive-through food distribution for anyone in need at their community resource center at 104 Southeast Parkway Franklin, TN 37064, Monday – Saturday from 9am to 12pm and Wednesdays from 4pm to 7pm. Families with school aged children can come once every 15 days while schools are closed. Families without school-aged children can come once every 30 days. Staff and Volunteers will bring food directly to your car. Please bring your ID.

GraceWorks Mobile Food Pantry at Fairview High School, 2595 Fairview Blvd. |

March 28, 2020 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
April 25, 2020 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
May 23, 2020 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Williamson County Schools Food Services Department (working with One Generation Away to provide food in the Fairview area) | website: https://www.wcs.edu

Franklin Special School District | Franklin |website: https://fssd.org/covid19/

Free meals for children 18 and under. Come to one of our Daily Drive-Through locations to pick up breakfast and lunch. Per USDA requirements, children must be present to receive meals.

POPLAR GROVE, 2959 Del Rio Pike (drive to back of school) : 11:00am - 12:30pm

LIBERTY ELEMENTARY, 600 Liberty Pike: 11:00am - 12:30pm
For select meal deliver areas, please visit our website https://fssd.org/covid19/

The Well Outreach (serves: Spring Hill, Thomson’s Station, Santa Fe, College Grove and Columbia) | website: http://springhillwell.org/index.html

Food Pantry

Each household may visit the pantry for assistance twice per month. Tuesday-Friday from 10:00am - 2:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday 6:00 – 8:00 pm and Saturday 10:00am – 12:00pm