In the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s devastation, FedEx is putting the expertise and passion of our team members and the power of our logistics network to bear in support of the deep needs of those across the region.
Before the storm had even neared landfall we had spent countless hours working with our non-profit disaster relief partners to prepare for the response, pre-staging supplies such as hygiene kits, food and water. Beginning Tuesday, our work transitioned to response, coordinating closely with the Red Cross, Heart to Heart, Direct Relief International and the Salvation Army to assist them in bringing in the relief supplies most in need. On Wednesday, October 31, FedEx also pledged $1.2M in cash and in-kind transportation support for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Friday, November 2, we added to that by allocating $250,000 of our annual United Way donation to the United Way of New York, bringing the total commitment to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts to nearly $1.5 million.
Here’s a snapshot of the much-needed relief supplies delivered so far or currently in our network destined for the northeast:
- Hygiene kits containing supplies such as shampoo/conditioner, disposable razors, soap, lotion and more
- Bottled water
- Protein shakes and infant/child-friendly nutritional drinks
- Batteries and flashlights
- Blankets
The first in-kind FedEx relief shipments began arriving early on November 1 at the Salvation Army staging location in Brooklyn, NY. The first of many shipments included 2,000 hygiene kits. Half will go to Nassau County and half to Suffolk County on Long Island.
FedEx provides annual funding for Heart to Heart in support of the Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) which is being put to good use in the wake of Sandy. Currently, the MMU is parked at a Red Cross shelter at Manhasset High School in Manhasset, NY. The shelter is serving 300 clients with 200 more expected soon. The MMU is staffed with doctors, medics, nurses, social workers and law enforcement representatives.
A FedEx-sponsored Salvation Army Disaster Response Unit (DRU) is now serving those in need on hard-hit Staten Island. In 2006, FedEx began an initiative with The Salvation Army in support of their network of DRUs. These vehicles are mobile canteen trucks that can each feed 2,500 people a day. In times of disaster, they are used to help feed people in shelters and in areas hit by fires, floods, winds and other natural disasters. The canteens also serve first responders, those brave individuals who devote their lives to helping others in the worst of circumstances.
On November 6, FedEx Express moved 12 pallets of coats and blankets from the Salvation Army’s warehouse in Pittsburgh to shelters in the Bronx and on Long Island, New York. These moves were part of the company’s broader support for the Salvation Army this week, which also included the donated transport of food and hygiene kits to the areas across New York and New Jersey’s hardest hit communities.
With more shipments on the move, we’ll continue to update this page with additional details on the relief efforts underway. As a company known for speed and reliability, we know the power a timely delivery has in response to situations such as these. We’re also extraordinarily grateful to our team members across the Northeast and throughout the country for banding together to make it all possible.