Tough Questions: Can We Please Talk Turkey About The Perils Of Product Collection Drives?
Over the years we’ve seen ALAN issue a lot of practical “Do’s And Don’ts” about disasters – including one that’s a real head-scratcher. Walk us through why you and so many other nonprofits are so emphatic about discouraging companies’ post-disaster product collection drives. Thanks for asking, because we really do have a good reason. In […]
November 2025 Disaster Dispatch
When the Arkansas Food Bank received $2 million worth of donated perishable food in 2020, there was only one problem: Finding enough frozen transportation space to store and distribute it. Enter ALAN, which found a donor willing to supply two freezer tractor trailers throughout the spring and summer. Fourteen pallets of donated yogurt were in danger […]
Tough Questions: Who’s In Charge Of Waivers? Who’s Really Eligible To Use Them? And Why Should My Company Care?
Raise your hand if you totally understand the ins and outs of transportation waivers. Still sitting on your hands? You’re not alone. In fact, sometimes waivers can be about as easy to navigate as Atlanta’s, LA’s and Houston’s rush hour traffic combined, which is why we decided to give them the VIP “Tough Questions” treatment […]
April 2025 Chain Reaction
When the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center needed a way to get communications equipment shipped to Maui in order to help restore critical emergency telecommunications on Maui after 2023’s Lahaina fires, ALAN and in-kind donors immediately stepped up with contributed air transportation for items like communications hardware, internet connectivity gear, and weather radios. They might […]
The Loss And The Hope In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Helene
Ordinarily I am a glass-half-full kind of person. But when I look at what’s happened to the residents of Western North Carolina, Florida’s Big Bend and other parts of the Southeast this past week, I find myself at a loss. The images of Hurricane Helene’s flooding, debris and devastation are heartbreaking, especially when they are […]
Are You Ready For Hurricane Season? Part 2
Ever been on the beach on a nice sunny day and get a text alert that there’s an incoming storm, but the sun’s out and the weather is beautiful? It always seems to happen when you’re on vacation and a storm comes out of nowhere. How do you stay informed about inbound weather? As my […]
Sing Along With ALAN (A Festive Fundraising Announcement)
Please enjoy this festive fundraising announcement. Sing to the tune of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer Check out this nifty raingear Featuring your ALAN friends We’re gifting it to donors Supporting us at this year’s end All of the folks who donate One hundred bucks (times two) We’ll send this coat to thank […]
“Bah” La La La La
Have I ever told you about the time I played Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol? Yes, really. Our fifth-grade class staged a musical version of Dickens’ famous holiday classic, and I was one of several students cast to play the role of the crotchety cheapskate. To this day, when I watch any of the […]
Lessons Learned
There’s a funny story about Abraham Lincoln. After agreeing to pardon a woman’s son who had been sentenced to death for treason, Lincoln confessed that he pardoned the son reluctantly. “Still, I wish,” he said, “that we could teach him a lesson.” Lincoln’s quote comes to mind when I think about hurricane season, because each […]