Logistics community steps up to support Hurricane Florence recovery

Hurricane Florence swamped North Carolina and much of the southeastern U.S. with floodwaters that closed highways, ports, and warehouses. A full recovery will take months, but several logistics industry companies have already stepped up with offers of assistance to speed up the process.

The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) has been working to connect organizations in need of warehouse, transportation, and other supply chain services with potential donors from the earliest days of the giant storm. By mobilizing those logistics services, ALAN helps supplement nonprofit organizations' capabilities to reach disaster survivors with critical items like food, water, and medical supplies.

Norfolk Southern Railroad has announced that its Norfolk Southern Foundation will donate $100,000 toward recovery efforts in North Carolina, including $50,000 to the American Red Cross and $50,000 to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina's relief efforts. The foundation will also match its employees' gifts of $50 or more to the American Red Cross or to any Feeding America food bank, according to Norfolk Southern, which operates over 1,187 route miles of track in North Carolina.

Atlanta-based transportation and logistics giant UPS Inc. has committed $1 million to support recovery efforts following the devastating flooding, infrastructure damage, and utility outages. Through a combination of cash grants, in-kind transportation movements, and technical expertise, the company and its charitable arm, The UPS Foundation, will both provide urgent relief and support long-term needs ranging from rebuilding to personal and financial recovery assistance, UPS said. "We're seeing immediate needs in these communities across a wide range of humanitarian areas in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence," Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement. "UPS is collaborating with FEMA and its nonprofit relief partners on multiple fronts to ensure help reaches those who need it urgently. Over the long term, additional assistance will be required to help transform affected communities into resilient neighborhoods."