Weather has always been a challenge for logistics organizations and supply chains; this year is no different. The aftereffects of tornados, extreme heat waves, and Hurricane Beryl—to name a few—have caused havoc around the globe for many people and businesses. And it appears likely that weather-related disasters are only going to increase in the future.
According to the UCAR Center for Science Education, a consortium of 120 North American colleges and universities that focuses on atmospheric research, current climate models predict that the Earth’s global average temperature will rise another 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) this century if greenhouse gas levels continue to rise at present rates. And according to recent news reports, the hottest day ever recorded on Earth was Monday, July 22—with the global average temperature reaching a stunning 62.87 degrees Fahrenheit.
With this projected rise in temperature, we will continue to face life-changing weather disruptions as we head into the mid-21st century. Luckily, the logistics and supply chain industries have nonprofit organizations like the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) they can partner with to help bring relief to disaster survivors around the world.
I had the pleasure of meeting Kathy Fulton, executive director of ALAN, at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ (CSMCP) annual EDGE conference several years ago. At the time, I was unfamiliar with ALAN and its mission, which is “to deliver hope to disaster survivors across the globe.” After speaking with Fulton and learning more about the organization, I was overwhelmed and inspired by the nonprofit’s origin story, which goes something like this: After watching the struggle to get donated food, water, and medicine into the hands of survivors following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the supply chain community realized this was a place it could make a difference and stepped up to provide badly needed logistics expertise.
Since Hurricane Katrina, Fulton and her team of dedicated staff have worked tirelessly to spread their mission and partner with more businesses to bring relief to thousands affected by weather-related disasters both here in the U.S. and around the globe. I’m proud that our industry has stepped up to help ALAN and other organizations make lasting impacts to benefit survivors.
In a July 2024 “ALAN in Action” newsletter, Fulton wrote, “There’s a lot of amazing work that the commercial supply chain community does to facilitate humanitarian relief efforts. … We continually thank our lucky stars to have so many amazing supporters as part of our extensive ‘buddy system.’” The nonprofit offers companies two ways to contribute to the ALAN mission—with in-kind donations (providing transportation, warehouse space, material handling equipment, or shipping and packaging materials) or financial gifts.
Those in-kind and financial contributions have made an impressive impact. In 2023, for example, ALAN and its partners responded to 15 different disasters, served more than 65 nonprofits, generated more than $2.3 million of disaster aid (moving, storing, or distributing supplies for relief efforts), and reached 3.1 million people.
In addition to connecting donated supply chain services and money with those in need, ALAN has established itself as an active logistics disaster relief educator and integrator. The nonprofit provides free access to its Supply Chain Intelligence Center, an interactive map that lets users monitor the real-time status of roads, ports, and airports in disaster-stricken areas, and also hosts numerous disaster simulations. But its work is far from over.
As you and your fellow logistics and supply chain professionals work to prepare your supply chains for future disruptions, I encourage you to learn more about ALAN and other nonprofit organizations to see how your company can make a difference in disaster relief.
