I came back home again this past week, returning to a world seemingly much changed from the one I left. Devastation in New Orleans and throughout the southern U.S., gas prices above $3 per gallon, and potentially large losses of life, as well as massive damage to the infrastructure necessary for many to continue their jobs and livelihoods, all make most of the pithy comments I could make here this week seem very insignificant by comparison. Still, I hope you read on to find out some ways you can make a real difference.

There are some things I can say from personal experience. I worked for the American Red Cross National Headquarters as IT research, development and integration staff for a number of years, for much of that time designing portable, robust IT systems to be deployed and used in the field after massive disasters. I introduced experimental use of some of the very first ruggedized handheld and laptop-based pre-802.11 wireless LAN systems. I went out on those disaster relief jobs to be onsite, test new technology and systems, and make sure everything worked as it was supposed to. If something failed, I was there to fix it asap, and if all went smoothly, I'd work in a field warehouse, shelter or other relief site.

So I've seen, close-up, hands-on and from the inside, some of the huge amount of service work and the invaluable results provided by relief organizations such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and many others. And while I'm not on the inside of that process these days, I have friends who are, and I can tell you with reasonable surety what they need, because it's what they almost always need: money, and time.

Money is always in short supply, because unfortunately charitable relief organizations always have more work than they can easily handle, especially in recent years, as hurricanes fed by warmer ocean waters seem to come faster and harder than ever before. Yes, donated goods can help, too, but speaking as someone who's worked intensively with "in-kind donations" from individuals and corporations, it takes so much more effort to sort, process and distribute well-intentioned mixed donated goods than it does to simply buy exactly what the victims need and get it to them directly. If you can spare anything for the victims, a direct donation is usually the very best thing you can do for those in need.

And if there's any way you can arrange it, donate your time. The Red Cross and other agencies are always looking for good skilled IT people who can donate some time either to local chapters, or better yet, onsite on disaster jobs. In the midst of chaos, keeping all the IT systems running that do everything from keep track of food and relief supplies, to manage volunteers and the transportation resources which get those people to where they are needed, is absolutely crucial. Your unique skills are seriously needed, and I can tell you from personal experience that you will probably never find more personally rewarding work in your entire life. Contact your local Red Cross chapter or other relief agency to find out more. Your skills and knowledge can and do make a real difference to those in need. I thank you, and the many, many people you can help will thank you.

Posted by Richard Hoffman at 06:10 PM | Permalink