After the Disaster Helpful Information in Times of Crisis and Disaster

on food safety, insurance, financial management, family, home and lawn, and farm.

Go to: http://www.aces.edu/counties/Mobile/HurricanePrep.php 

All storm victims within Alabama should call 2-1-1 or 251-431-5111 to find help for specific needs. 

Nonprofit organizations should contact the nearest EMA and The Community Foundation for support.

Aidmatrix Network® Is Leveraged for Gulf Coast Disaster Relief

DALLAS, TX - August 31, 2008 - The Aidmatrix Foundation Inc. along with its partners, today announced the readiness of several State portals on the Aidmatrix Network® to assist in the disaster preparations for Hurricane Gustav's expected impact on the Gulf Coast. Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas all link to their Aidmatrix Network State portals from their websites and are trained and responding to incoming unsolicited donations. FEMA, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), USA Freedom Corps, Citizen Corps, American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), and Business Executives for National Security (BENS) are helping coordinate relief through their websites. The Aidmatrix Network also links in the 50 largest disaster-related field organizations in a "one-stop" system.   Donations are already coming into the system and specific items needed for donation are being posted. Please visit the websites below to help.

The Aidmatrix Network® is a global humanitarian relief coordination system, also known as a supply chain, that exists to better manage unsolicited / spontaneous donations and volunteers. In the USA, it connects State and local governments with donors, State Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), National VOAD, and FEMA through web-based tools to reduce paperwork and allow for easy information sharing.
 
Each State has a Donations Coordination Team (DCT) set up as part of their disaster plan. The DCT is made up of select State Emergency Managers and State Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) members. The DCTs are reviewing and allocating incoming donations to State VOAD members. State VOAD members are in turn reviewing donation offers 24x7 online through the State portal.
 
The State VOAD members are also coordinating with the State to publish specific items needed for donation. Donors can view those needs on most of the State portals. Many States are also registering volunteers ahead of time. Here is a list of those websites:

State portals:

• Alabama: http://www.servealabama.gov 
• Florida: http://www.fccs.org  
• Louisiana: http://www.volunteerlouisiana.gov and http://www.gov.state.la.us/ and http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/
• Mississippi:  http://www.volunteermississippi.org
• Texas: http://www.texasresponds.org
• FEMA National Portal: http://www.fema.gov/donations

Business portals:

• BENS: http://www.bens.org
• ALAN: http://www.alanaid.org   

Referral sites:

• National VOAD: http://www.nvoad.org/HowToHelp/DonatinginTimesofDisaster/tabid/58/Default.aspx
• USA Freedom Corps: http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov 
• Citizen Corps: http://www.citizencorps.gov/ 

About The Aidmatrix Foundation, Inc.

The Aidmatrix Foundation, Inc. builds and operates powerful technology hubs that support diverse stakeholder groups in their efforts to work together to solve the worldís most challenging humanitarian crises. Our solutions enhance participation, amplify contributions, and accelerate results for humanitarian relief. More than 35,000 leading corporate, nonprofit and government partners leverage our solutions to mobilize more than $1.5 billion in aid annually, worldwide. The donated goods, money and services impact the lives of more than 65 million people. Aidmatrix is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, with offices in Wisconsin, Germany and India. Visit www.aidmatrix.org.