This month, the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) celebrates four years of engaging the supply chain community to assist in humanitarian relief efforts. Founded in October 2005, the non-profit organization has already made an impact on the lives of many disaster victims. ALAN serves as a primary point of industry contact for disaster relief support and establishes an efficient process for providing the necessary goods and services through its web portal, www.alanaid.org. Needs for supply chain expertise, products, equipment and services such as transportation, warehousing and material handling are matched with available donations. ALAN draws on its network of 14 supply chain organizations for these resources and works closely with the National Donations Management Network and National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army, to coordinate relief efforts.
