Jarrod Goentzel has been honoured by ALANThree companies and one individual who stepped up to help with logistics to support recovery efforts in the aftermath of a number of natural disasters across the US have been recognised with Humanitarian Logistics Awards.
The awards are an initiative of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) and were presented at EDGE 2024 held in Nashville.
The two winners of the Outstanding Contribution to Disaster Relief Awards were Niagara Cares and Southwest Toyota Lift.
ALAN says of Niagara Cares received its award “for donating and helping to distribute more than 700,000 bottles (350 pallets) of water to organisations that were aiding communities affected by disasters”.
“Niagara’s pallet donations have supported survivors recovering from the pipe bursts in Jackson, MS, the Smokehouse Creek Wildfires, tornadoes across the Midwest and Louisiana, flooding in Houston, water disparity in Missouri, and Hurricane Beryl.”
ALAN explains Southwest Toyota Lift received its award for “donating approximately USD90,000 worth of materials handling equipment to the Red Cross and volunteers for public service to help maximise and expand those organisations’ disaster relief and humanitarian efforts”.
The Employee Engagement Award went to Hy-Vee “for its disaster relief efforts, which have brought together employee volunteers from across the company to help support communities in need — both within its Midwest trade territory and beyond,” ALAN says.
“In 2023, the team helped Operation BBQ Relief distribute 90,000 meals to Hurricane Idalia survivors, and this year, provided water, food and cleanup support after tornado damage in Greenfield, Iowa. Utilising its Disaster Relief Fleet, Hy-Vee’s team has helped more than 40 communities across the United States since 2021.”
Receiving the individual Research and Academic Contribution Award was Jarrod Goentzel, for his founding of MIT’s Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab, where he currently serves as director.
“His research and mentorship directly engage private sector, government agencies, humanitarian, international development, and community organisations on several continents to improve disaster relief operations and aid vulnerable populations affected by catastrophic events, geopolitical conflict, and pandemics,” ALAN continues. “He is also a founding member of the Supply Chain Analysis Network (SCAN), which fosters cross-sector collaborative learning to restore pre-existing supply chains following disaster.”
ALAN explains the awards were founded in 2017 to “honour individuals and organisations that have demonstrated an ongoing and sustained commitment to helping others in their time of greatest need – and who serve as beacons of hope before, during and after disasters strike”.
“If you know of a particularly deserving recipient for next year’s awards, please consider nominating them when nominations open in spring 2024.
Meanwhile, as parts of the US continue to be battered by hurricanes, ALAN has again renewed its call for assistance from the logistics community. Last week South Carolina and Florida were recovering from Hurricane Helene and this week Hurricane Milton is bearing down on Florida’s quest coast.
Details on how to help the recovery efforts can be found on ALAN’s website.