When the earthquake hit Haiti, AmericasRelief Team immediately mobilized.

AmericasRelief Team activated its Emergency Operations Center, helping the general public understand the needs on the ground and collection sites in the community, as well as working with our partners in order to connect donations with available cargo space. We were in immediate communication with the U.S. Southern Command, with whom we hold a Memorandum of Understanding and cooperate with at times of disaster around the Americas.  Additionally, we have been in constant communication with partnering NGOs and logistics providers in order to meet the needs on the ground as quickly and efficiently as possible.

AmericasRelief Team’s main role at times of disaster is to facilitate the transport of needed commodities to affected areas.  We work hard to obtain free or discounted cargo space from our partners, and offer it to the NGO community with donations needed on the ground.  Within a few days after the crisis AmericasRelief Team facilitated cargo space for ADRA, American Red Cross, Food for the Poor, Cross International, World Vision, and others through air cargo partners FedEx, Arrow Air Cargo and LAN Chile.

Immediately following the earthquake AmericasRelief Team was blessed to have two passenger planes donated to the organization to transport doctors, nurses and first responders to Port-au-Prince.

AmericasRelief Team is collaborating with almost all of the commercial shipping companies serving Haiti and the Dominican Republic, many of which are long time partners. Due to the destruction of the main port in Port-Au-Prince, and many other issues such as security needs and road conditions, AmericasRelief Team is collaborating with ocean freight companies, The U.S. Coast Guard, and Southcom on shipping options and strategies that could be used to get NGOs and IOs humanitarian aid to the displaced persons in Haiti.

AmericasRelief Team is managing a humanitarian cargo staging warehouse in south Florida for International NGOs who are waiting for ocean or air cargo clearance to Haiti.

AmericasRelief Team is proud of its association with the United States Southern Command. AmericasRelief Team collaborates with Southcom through a Memorandum of Understanding whereby AmericasRelief Team coordinates on the selection of sites for humanitarian and civic assistance, provides community facilitation, and is a member of the planning team. AmericasRelief Team provides support to NGOs on the usage of military and navy freight programs.