ALAN Helps to Coordinate Pacific Rim Disaster Relief
Minneapolis, Nov. 5, 2009 – A multiple-container shipment of relief supplies was a welcome sight this week for the people of American Samoa, who are still recovering from September’s powerful tsunami.
The shipment arrived thanks to the coordinated effort of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), Limited Brands, and Feed the Children. When Feed the Children needed a partner to transport supplies such as flashlights, tents, and sleeping bags to tsunami victims, the organization turned to the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) who posted the need on the National Donations Management Network and called ALAN, a non-profit organization which engages the supply chain community to assist in humanitarian relief efforts. The ALAN team reviewed its network of donors and quickly identified Limited Brands as a possible resource for transportation.
“Within twenty minutes of contacting ALAN, we had a response,” said Craig Nemitz, director of disaster services for Feed the Children. “And within twenty-four hours, they had put us in touch with Limited Brands, who worked with two of their transportation partners to donate backhaul ocean container space for our shipment of three tractor-trailer loads of supplies.”
“Speed and agility are critical advantages for us at Limited Brands in terms of how we do business as well as how we support our communities both near and abroad,” said Rick Jackson, executive vice president of Limited Brands and member of the board of directors for the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), a founding member of ALAN.
“Once ALAN contacted us with the details, we immediately created and executed a plan with two of our transportation partners to deliver these critical supplies to the disaster site. We thank our transportation partners for their support in donating their container space and time to turn this around so quickly.”
The much-needed supplies were delivered to the American Samoa VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters) and Catholic Relief Services, to be distributed to the people most severely impacted by the tsunami.
“This effort epitomizes the collaborative power of ALAN,” said Mark Richards, ALAN vice president. “It was the result of a number of supply chain professionals putting their heads together and using their personal connections and supply chain experience to find a creative solution to help those in need.”
“Everyone at ALAN and Limited Brands did an amazing job. I received regular updates throughout the process from the ALAN officers and partners at Limited Brands who facilitated the shipment. They really ‘bull-dogged’ this, and they made it a comfortable, efficient process,” Nemitz said. “The stars were definitely aligned.”
About ALAN
American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) engages the supply chain community to support humanitarian relief efforts. ALAN makes supply chain related donation needs visible to the logistics industry and establishes an efficient process for providing the necessary goods and services through its web portal, www.alanaid.org <http://www.alanaid.org/> .
About Limited Brands
Limited Brands, through Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Bath & Body Works, C.O. Bigelow, La Senza, White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel, operates more than 3,000 specialty stores. The company’s products are also available online at www.VictoriasSecret.com <http://www.victoriassecret.com/> , www.BathandBodyWorks.com <http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/> , www.HenriBendel.com <http://www.henribendel.com/> and www.LaSenza.com.
About Feed the Children
Feed The Children is a Christian, international, nonprofit relief organization with headquarters in Oklahoma City, OK that delivers food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty or disasters. For more information, please visit www.feedthechildren.org.
The shipment arrived thanks to the coordinated effort of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), Limited Brands, and Feed the Children. When Feed the Children needed a partner to transport supplies such as flashlights, tents, and sleeping bags to tsunami victims, the organization turned to the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) who posted the need on the National Donations Management Network and called ALAN, a non-profit organization which engages the supply chain community to assist in humanitarian relief efforts. The ALAN team reviewed its network of donors and quickly identified Limited Brands as a possible resource for transportation.
“Within twenty minutes of contacting ALAN, we had a response,” said Craig Nemitz, director of disaster services for Feed the Children. “And within twenty-four hours, they had put us in touch with Limited Brands, who worked with two of their transportation partners to donate backhaul ocean container space for our shipment of three tractor-trailer loads of supplies.”
“Speed and agility are critical advantages for us at Limited Brands in terms of how we do business as well as how we support our communities both near and abroad,” said Rick Jackson, executive vice president of Limited Brands and member of the board of directors for the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), a founding member of ALAN.
“Once ALAN contacted us with the details, we immediately created and executed a plan with two of our transportation partners to deliver these critical supplies to the disaster site. We thank our transportation partners for their support in donating their container space and time to turn this around so quickly.”
The much-needed supplies were delivered to the American Samoa VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters) and Catholic Relief Services, to be distributed to the people most severely impacted by the tsunami.
“This effort epitomizes the collaborative power of ALAN,” said Mark Richards, ALAN vice president. “It was the result of a number of supply chain professionals putting their heads together and using their personal connections and supply chain experience to find a creative solution to help those in need.”
“Everyone at ALAN and Limited Brands did an amazing job. I received regular updates throughout the process from the ALAN officers and partners at Limited Brands who facilitated the shipment. They really ‘bull-dogged’ this, and they made it a comfortable, efficient process,” Nemitz said. “The stars were definitely aligned.”
About ALAN
American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) engages the supply chain community to support humanitarian relief efforts. ALAN makes supply chain related donation needs visible to the logistics industry and establishes an efficient process for providing the necessary goods and services through its web portal, www.alanaid.org <http://www.alanaid.org/> .
About Limited Brands
Limited Brands, through Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Bath & Body Works, C.O. Bigelow, La Senza, White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel, operates more than 3,000 specialty stores. The company’s products are also available online at www.VictoriasSecret.com <http://www.victoriassecret.com/> , www.BathandBodyWorks.com <http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/> , www.HenriBendel.com <http://www.henribendel.com/> and www.LaSenza.com.
About Feed the Children
Feed The Children is a Christian, international, nonprofit relief organization with headquarters in Oklahoma City, OK that delivers food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty or disasters. For more information, please visit www.feedthechildren.org.