The Loss and the Hope in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene

American Logistics Aid Network is mobilized for Hurricane Helene. As part of our response efforts, we are committed to bringing you the latest information and updates on supply chain impacts via our periodic Situation Reports, found on our website. 

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 combined with the realization that so many people have lost their lives or remain missing – and that so many still await rescue. Many people have lost their homes, loved ones, pets or business locations. And there is no sugar-coating how long and difficult the path to recovery will be. In fact there’s so much to do that it’s difficult to know where to start.

Thankfully there are several great minds who can point us in the right direction, including St. Francis of Assisi who reportedly once advised, “Start by doing what’s necessary, then by doing what’s possible... ”

Here at ALAN, those words make a lot of sense to us.

If you look at our Disaster Micro-Site in the coming weeks, you’ll undoubtedly find numerous tangible examples of “what’s necessary” in the form of the requests we’ll be posting for donated logistics assistance under our “Active Logistics Needs” tab.  I hope that you will consider fulfilling one of them yourself – or that you will pass them along to any of your members, colleagues or co-workers who might willing to help.  
We also have a keen sense of “what’s possible,” because after 19 years of providing disaster relief, we know that when the right people work together to address a challenge efficiently and collaboratively – as so many government and humanitarian relief organizations are doing right now – amazing things can happen.  

Perhaps most important of all, we understand just how fortunate we are to be part of an industry that can play such a meaningful role in delivering help and hope. 
In closing, allow me to circle back to the quote I used at the beginning, because there’s one part I left out: “Start by doing what’s necessary, then by doing what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” 

Things may indeed look like an impossible-to-solve situation right now. But with folks like you in our corner, I know that recovery and resilience will happen. Thank you for being one of the best and brightest parts of my job. My glass wouldn’t be nearly as full without you.

Sincerely,
Kathy Fulton
Executive Director

About ALAN

Founded in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, ALAN is a philanthropic, industry-wide organization that provides free logistics assistance to disaster relief organizations before, during and after catastrophic events. It does this by bringing the expertise and resources of the logistics industry together with humanitarian organizations so that help can arrive sooner, and each relief dollar can be maximized. Over the years it has coordinated compassionate supply chain services for disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and floods. To learn more visit alanaid.org.

PSEMA Tropical Storm Helene Coordination Call via Zoom

• Wednesday, October 2 at 4pm EDT
• Join Zoom Meeting
  Meeting ID: 889 4313 8859
  Passcode: 046808

Read More: ALAN’s Helpful Post-Hurricane Relief Do’s And Don’ts

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