On November 7th, one of the largest and deadliest storms ever recorded—super Typhoon Haiyan—made landfall in the Philippines. Relief efforts have only just begun in the wake of massive destruction and significant loss of life. While aid from the United States and other countries began to flow in on Monday, getting supplies into the affected areas is still a challenge, since roads are blocked by debris and airports are shut down.
ALAN is supporting U.S. domestic logistics requests, including requests for transportation and warehouse space. We are working closely with the US arms of partner agencies to determine what resources are most needed. We will post those requests to our portal as soon as details become available. Right now, we anticipate a need for warehouse space near U.S. West Coast air and sea ports.
ALAN wants to remind everyone to please remember to “connect before you collect”; before donating, make sure you have spoken directly with an aid group and know precisely what they need, where it needs to go, and how you’ll get it to them. Sending supplies from the U.S. is costly and slow. Many organizations prefer cash so they can buy supplies locally; doing so will help the Philippine economy recover quickly.
The ALAN portal lists some product-related requests for generators, food, household supplies, tarps, and other goods. While we do not actively solicit product donations, some businesses may wish to see and support those requests.
Because needs are still emerging, we hope you will stay tuned to their website, www.ALANAid.org, to follow developments over the coming days and weeks as they navigate what promises to be an extremely challenging recovery period.
