ALAN Wins Major Grants For Aid Efforts
Funding will help to speed humanitarian relief process
Minneapolis, May 10, 2011 – The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) announced today that the organization has been awarded two sizable grants that promise to help streamline the humanitarian relief process substantially. ALAN, a non-profit organization that engages the supply chain community in support of humanitarian relief efforts, will receive $25,000 from The UPS Foundation and $50,000 from the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program, Project on Supply Chain Resilience.
Funds will be used for a new database mapping initiative that will help to automatically identify potential donors with the resources to address specific relief needs. Contacts in existing databases of ALAN association partners will be categorized according to their member companies' key product or service offerings and geographic footprints. These lists will support links to the National Donations Management Network so that needs are better matched to potential resources. This will enable ALAN to identify the organizations best able to meet a specific disaster need (i.e. logistics support, water, food, pharmaceuticals, essential medical care, and shelter) and then reach out to them personally.
"Making efficient connections is especially important during catastrophic situations. By mapping these databases, we can pair relief agency needs with the organizations most likely to have the capacity and interest to meet those needs," said Jock Menzies, ALAN President. "It is a breakthrough for us and will expand the private sector's opportunities to engage in humanitarian relief efforts. This is consistent with FEMA's "whole community" approach to preparedness and the President's call to map our national capabilities."
"This is an outstanding example of collaboration and private public partnership to enhance community resilience," said Joe Ruiz of The UPS Foundation.
"The non-profit disaster community relies on in-kind support from our corporate partners, and ALAN's enhanced database is going to improve our ability to make timely and effective use of those donations," said Bob Leipold, executive director of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
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About ALAN
American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) engages the supply chain community to support and assist humanitarian relief efforts. ALAN makes supply chain-related donation needs visible to the logistics industry and establishes an efficient process for providing the necessary goods and services through its web portal, www.alanaid.org
About The UPS Foundation
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight, the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2011, is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national, and global communities. In 2010, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $95 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.