One of the most impressive things that I saw at the Organizers Collaborative Conference was the Citizen Action Team. In the wake of Katrina they build a Ruby on Rails Database to match donors offerings of help to groups and institutions who need help. The demoed the database and it was really impressive.
We are a politically unaffiliated, independent group of volunteers that have come together to provide supplies to folks of the hurricane ravaged Gulf coastline. We are serving the least served areas. We are working directly with shelter relief teams in areas such as Lafayette and Baton Rouge, LA, Gulfport and Hattiesburg, MS .
This list will grow as we pin-point and identify needs of other under-served, under-supplied pop-up shelters in the most needy areas. Our campaign begins by establishing need, supplying the basics and then gauging what next will most aid “our” shelters. With efficiency tempered by compassion, we stay in close contact, following donations from collection to distribution. We have established warehouse operations in Lafayette, Gulfport and are now developing other locations.
Hopefully in the next big disaster there will be a real digital addressing infrastructure working to make it even more efficient.
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