NASHVILLE - A group of Nashville volunteers are putting together a relief effort, called "We Love Chattanooga," to help residents affected by last week's devastating tornadoes that killed nine people in the county.

Volunteers said today they planned to begin accepting nonperishable food items, cleaning supplies, bottled water and various toiletries to help survivors whose homes were destroyed or damaged.

"We were talking about what we could do to help people," said organizer Traveda Jordan, a research analyst for the Tennessee General Assembly, explaining how she and a group of friends got involved.

She said the group spoke with Reps. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga, and Rep. Tommie Brown, D-Chattanooga, about getting involved.

Efforts to contact both lawmakers were unsuccessful this morning, but in a news release issued by the group, Brown applauded their efforts and offered her "full support in any way I can assist."

The group is accepting donation of items today through Thursday at two Metro Parks locations: from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Nashville's Hadley Park Community Center and from noon until 8:30 p.m. at Nashville's Sevier Community Center.

On Friday, at 11 a.m. CDT, the items will be collected and transported by Gray Line of Tennessee to the Red Cross of the Greater Chattanooga Area.