On January 7, a series of wildfires broke out in Southern California, causing extensive damage to the area.

Within hours, Flexport.org's disaster relief team began mobilizing a response plan that included securing trucking capacity for nonprofit organizations and releasing funding from the Flexport.org Fund that would allow nonprofits to ship relief supplies at no cost.

By January 9, Flexport had dispatched a truck to pick up medical and hygiene items from International Medical Corps’ stockpile in Memphis, Tennessee, so that they could be distributed to those impacted by the initial blaze and other fires that had since broken out.

“The number of fires, coupled with the population density of the greater Los Angeles area, indicated that we’d see significant impacts to communities in the area,” said Dave Hartman, Senior Program Manager of Global Aid for Flexport.org. “Flexport.org’s goal is to use our logistics expertise and capabilities to assist those in need, and given our large presence in Southern California, we were well positioned to move quickly and mobilize our resources within a matter of days.”

Over the next seven weeks, Flexport.org helped 10 nonprofit organizations move more than 800,000 pounds of relief supplies to be distributed to impacted communities. In addition to the medical supplies we shipped for International Medical Corps, these critical items included bottled water, food, diapers, face masks, gloves, cleaning supplies, and children’s toys.

Flexport shipped these items at no cost to the nonprofit organizations, with the Flexport.org Fund covering the associated transportation costs.

“Just as the Los Angeles wildfires began, Flexport.org reached out to let us know they were available and ready to support our mission to serve the survivors of the LA wildfires,” said Hana El Gamal, Director of Global Logistics for Global Empowerment Mission. “Their support allowed us to outfit our new Los Angeles warehouse and distribution site within a matter of days, with direct aid, assembly lines, warehouse supplies, and equipment. With Flexport’s help, we moved over 131,000 pounds of relief supplies, turning an empty space into a fully operational aid hub to serve the community.”

In addition to providing pro-bono transportation, Flexport.org also helped connect nonprofits receiving donated items with organizations that could distribute those items to community members in need.

“During a disaster, it’s not uncommon to have an imbalance between organizations with necessary items but a limited distribution network, and organizations with a well-established distribution network, but limited items,” said Hartman. “Flexport.org’s Product Donations program connects corporations and nonprofits that have excess items with nonprofits in need of those items.”

In this instance, Flexport.org connected Lifting Hands International with Children’s Hunger Fund and World Vision—both of which have extensive networks in Los Angeles that could distribute the items.

“Partnering with [Children’s Hunger Fund and World Vision] allowed us to expand our reach and ensure that critical aid reached families affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles,” said Traci Parson, Director of Utah Operations for Lifting Hands International. “Their distribution networks and local presence helped us provide emergency relief more efficiently, ensuring that essentials like food, hygiene kits, and other basic necessities got into the hands of those who needed them most.”

Between powerful climate technology and transformative private sector partnerships, Flexport.org’s work aims to reimagine the way global aid is mobilized—faster, more sustainably, and with even greater impact.

Click here to learn more about Flexport.org.