CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Workers and volunteers at one Clarksville nonprofit were busy Monday as the organization has prepared to deploy a team to assist flood victims in Texas.
Even though the flooding is more than 14 hours away from the city, it’s a type of devastation the people of Clarksville can sympathize with.
“It looks like Hurricane Helene. It is devastating. We keep hearing that same thing over and over: 'It looks like hurricane Helene,'” said Sherry Nicholson, CEO and Founder of YAIPAK. “We recently had the floods that were devastating to Farmington and Woodstock. In December of '23, we had that devastating tornado, so we're just always ready to go and offer the help that we can because we know it makes a difference.”
Between backup generators, general supplies, and their mobile laundry unit, YAIPAK volunteers prepared to send a team of six to eight people to Texas. As of publication, they’re waiting on the go-ahead from officials on the ground before they start making their way. Nicholson hoped to see her team deploy in around 72 hours.
Nicholson has personal ties to Texas, including the fact that she opened YAIPAK's second division in Katy, Texas in 2024.
"I was born and raised in Texas. I have a lot of family there and some of them were close to the flooding,” Nicholson said. “How could we say no when it comes to helping somebody that's dealing with tragedy? That's what makes our community so great — not just in Tennessee or in Texas, but across our nation. [In] a tragedy like this, people are coming together and they're bringing hope and they're making a difference, and that's vital to the success and rebuilding of that community there."
For anyone looking to help, YAIPAK leaders urge people to check lists released by emergency officials on the ground before buying anything. YAIPAK will also accept monetary donations or Starlink devices to help with connectivity on their trip.