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‘Stronger When We Work Together’ – ALAN@20

[ November 1, 2025   //   ]

Launched in response to the logistics challenges associated with Hurricane Katrina in October 2005, The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) is marking 20 years of helping humanitarian organizations get relief supplies stored, transported and delivered to disaster sites more quickly – and free of charge.

“In October 2005, 50 supply chain associations and business leaders began looking for a way to leverage our industry’s core competencies to serve others, because they realized that we really are stronger when we work together,” said ALAN Executive Director Kathy Fulton. “Two decades later, we continue to see this play out for every disaster.”

ALAN has assisted more than 300 nonprofits with relief efforts for every major U.S. disaster (as well as many global ones) and had a hand in helping millions of disaster survivors get faster access to key resources like food, water and restored power.

“A lot of things have changed since we opened our doors, including the fact that we’re now also focused on disaster preparation and education as well as disaster response,” Fulton said. “But two things haven’t: Logistics continues to be one of the largest and costliest hurdles in terms of delivering effective disaster relief. And the pro bono services that we provide with the help of the many businesses and professional associations in this industry continue to do a world of good.

“We’re incredibly thankful to all the visionaries who decided that supply chain lapses weren’t acceptable or inevitable in the world of disaster relief. And we’re grateful for each of the financial and in-kind donors who have stepped up over the years and made ALAN and our journey possible.”

IMAGE 1: ALAN is perhaps, best known for hurricane response. However, over the years, it has supported recovery activities for disasters ranging from the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic to the 2023 Lahaina fires in Hawai’i – when its efforts included providing the transload services needed to get dozens of mattresses like these moved to Maui.

Shortly after Hurricane Ian hit Ft. Myers in 2022, ALAN Executive Director Kathy Fulton visited several of the early response organizations that ALAN’s efforts were supporting including Operation Barbecue Relief, which was able to serve 1 million meals to area survivors, thanks in part to the refrigerated food transportation and food storage that ALAN and its supporters donated. Since 2005, ALAN has helped with relief efforts for dozens of hurricanes, including last year’s Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

The late Jock Menzies (left, seen here after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti) led ALAN for its first eight years, supporting relief efforts for disasters ranging from 2008’s Hurricanes Ike and Gustav to 2012’s Superstorm Sandy, until he died in 2013.

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