“Humanitarian relief wouldn’t happen without the facilitation and support of the supply chain community,” said Kathy Fulton, ALAN’s Executive Director. “These awards were created to shine a light on that generosity. While we at ALAN know a lot about what many organizations and individuals are doing to support disaster relief efforts, there are still many others whose life-changing work we won’t be made aware of – and able to honor – unless someone takes the time to nominate them.”

Nominations, including self-nominations, can be submitted via ALAN’s nomination website until June 30. This fall, Winners will be celebrated during ALAN’s 20th anniversary event at the CSCMP EDGE Conference.

Award Categories

The 2025 Humanitarian Logistics Awards are open to supply chain professionals, academics, organizations, or departments. Honorees will be recognized in four key categories, which may feature multiple winners per category:

• Outstanding Contribution to Disaster Relief
• Employee Engagement
• Research/Academic Achievement
• Lifetime Achievement

For more information on nomination rules and criteria, visit ALAN’s official nomination page at www.alanaid.org/nomination-info. Don’t miss the opportunity to help honor the heroes of humanitarian logistics!

Source: The Trucker

The post ALAN Opens Nominations for 2025 Humanitarian Logistics Awards appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

ALAN, acting as a liaison between logistics assets and relief organizations, ensures that resources are efficiently allocated to disaster sites in need.

“Many of our nonprofit partners are staging outside of the area and will start to move in their resources once they know where they are needed,” said Kathy Fulton, ALAN’s executive director.

Last Wednesday morning, Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend area of Florida as a powerful Category 3 storm. It briefly intensified to a Category 4 before weakening back to a Category 1 as it continued its path across the state and into Georgia. Affected areas experienced damage from strong winds and flash flooding.

“Because pre-storm supply chains were healthy, and because humanitarian supplemental resources are pre-staged, as roads can be safely cleared, those supply chains will move speedily to respond to survivor needs for nourishment, hydration, shelter, and medical care,” Fulton said in an email to FreightWaves. “Donations from far away will probably not be needed, so we want to remind everyone that financial gifts to trusted nonprofits are the best way to support” those affected by the hurricane.

The storm is causing “huge disruptions to individuals and communities, especially as there are many vulnerable individuals in these areas,” she said. “It is a matter of how quickly the areas which are isolated because of the storm” can get access to resources.

Source: FreightWaves

The post How Supply Chains are Stepping Up for Hurricane Idalia: A Key Role in Humanitarian Aid appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

Now, days later, the death toll has reached a staggering 99 lives lost, and it is only expected to rise. Countless homes and structures have been reduced to ashes, leaving behind a chilling scene of destruction. Front Street, once a historic gem, is now a haunting sight, with charred car shells serving as a grim reminder of the tragedy.

Search teams are bravely combing through the remnants of each house, painstakingly searching for any signs of life and grappling with the full extent of the damage.

“We mourn with those who’ve lost family members, friends and homes, not to mention most of their hometown,” says Kathy Fulton, Executive Director of the American Logistics Aid Network, otherwise known as ALAN. “And we have already begun actively supporting relief efforts.”

Fulton added that oftentimes after a disaster, it’s not uncommon for there to be a lot of mixed feelings and a lot of confusion. “And that’s certainly been the case with this one. While there’s been a huge outpouring of love from individuals and organizations who have offered their support, there’s also been a lot of frustration because they can’t seem to find anyone to take them up on their offers. Meanwhile, outrage has grown because some media stories have reported that Maui’s disaster survivors are still going without the things they need.”

ALAN’s partners have been actively visiting Maui and they have observed that all the points of distribution are fully stocked. In fact, some of these locations have been so inundated with donations that they have temporarily paused distribution to organize everything properly.

Many of the fire survivors on the island are receiving essential assistance such as food, water, medical care, and more, according to Fulton. While you may not have an opportunity to provide direct aid at the moment, their needs are being met. “And don’t be surprised if your opportunity to help comes many weeks, months or even years down the line – including many opportunities from ALAN, because supply chain services are often some of the most critical resources that disaster relief organizations need.”

How ALAN is Helping Survivors

ALAN swiftly responded to the news of the fires by connecting with its non-profit partners on the ground to determine their specific needs for logistics services and equipment. Fortunately, the community has been incredibly generous and has already met their short-term needs. ALAN recognizes, however, that these needs may change as relief and recovery efforts continue.

To stay updated on the situation, please visit ALAN’s Disaster Micro-Site at alanaid.org/operations, where they regularly post open needs.

In addition, ALAN has been reaching out to businesses with products on Maui or nearby islands who are willing to share their resources. Their goal is to connect these businesses with organizations in need, ensuring that the right products reach the right place.

To further streamline efforts, ALAN has created a logistics workgroup for the Hawai’i VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters). As the leader of this group, their role is to identify both short and long-term needs and capabilities, as well as individuals and organizations willing to address them. Their aim is to reduce confusion, eliminate gaps, and prevent duplication of effort, as no effort should go to waste when the need is so great.

ALAN is also working closely with the state of Hawaii’s donations task force to manage the influx of unsolicited donations. They are responsible for securely storing, sorting, and utilizing these items at the appropriate time, place, and location. With their expertise in logistics, ALAN is well-equipped for this task.

All of these actions are made possible through your generous financial support.  If you would like to contribute, please consider donating now.

Lastly, ALAN is preparing to fulfill requests for donated logistics assistance, and we invite you to participate in this important endeavor.

How the Trucking Industry Can Help

If you have warehouse space, trucks, equipment, or supplies that you can donate to support this cause, please offer them now. ALAN needs a lot of support on both the islands and the mainland. The more information ALAN has about available resources, the quicker they can fulfill requests and provide assistance to survivors.

Also, reach out to ALAN to let them know what you and your company are doing to support the relief efforts in Hawaii. ALAN doesn’t need to manage everything, but they want to take advantage of opportunities to share resources and lessen the burden on Maui.

Please refrain from sending things to Hawaii at this time. Relief organizations and survivors don’t have a place to store or manage them. Dealing with the influx of products has become a challenge for ALAN’s partners, who are already overwhelmed.

Additionally, please consider making a donation to support ALAN’s response efforts. ALAN relies on financial support to continue providing critical logistics assistance to communities like Maui in their recovery process.

Source: Women in Trucking

The post From Paradise to Tragedy: How Fire Ravaged Lahaina and How You Can Help with ALAN appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.