The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) today announced the 2025 recipients of its Humanitarian Logistics Awards.  

“Over the last 20 years, we’ve often said that when bad things happen, good people show up. That’s what these awards are all about,” said ALAN Executive Director Kathy Futon. “Throughout the years and over the course of many disasters, all of our award recipients have repeatedly stepped up to help without ever asking what’s in it for them – and truly gone above and beyond to assist disaster survivors.”

This year’s honorees include:

• Continental Logistics, which received ALAN’s Outstanding Contribution To Disaster Relief Award
• Fleet Advantage, which received ALAN’s Employee Engagement Award
• Niagara Cares, which received ALAN’s Employee Engagement Award
• Partners Warehouse, a Flex Logistics company, which received ALAN’s Outstanding Contribution To Disaster Relief Award
• Dr. Burcu Balçik of Ozyegin University, who received ALAN’s Research And Academic Contributions Award
• And ALAN’s founders, who received ALAN’s Lifetime Achievement Award.  

Continental Logistics earned its award for providing $11,000 worth of the pro bono transportation that was needed to deliver donated goods to numerous food banks, community centers and other humanitarian organizations that served more than 173,000 individuals after Hurricane Helene, the Los Angeles wildfires and other disasters.

Fleet Advantage was honored for the charitable work of its employees through its Kids Around The Corner Foundation, which served 51 non-profit organizations and helped with relief efforts after disasters such as Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton during 2024. Throughout the year, the company hosted eight volunteer events, making it possible for its personnel to directly help the communities where they live and work. These volunteers’ efforts included assembling and distributing over 2,000 meals and hygiene kits; assisting with hurricane relief efforts; providing more than 100 Easter baskets; and collecting and assembling 200 backpacks with necessary school supplies for people in need.

Niagara Cares received its award for mobilizing hundreds of its employees to support relief efforts in California’s Palisades and Altadena areas after the Los Angeles wildfires, including assembling care packages for first responders; creating hygiene and care kits for displaced residents; and painting murals, building learning gardens and planting trees to restore a sense of hope and re-beautify areas that were damaged by the fires.    

Partners Warehouse, a Flex Logistics company, was honored for providing ALAN with the donated long-term warehousing space and logistics support it needed to accept the largest material equipment donation in its history – 80 pallet jacks. These jacks, which ALAN has been using to assist nonprofits with their Hurricane Helene, Arkansas Tornado and other relief efforts, have already enabled these humanitarian organizations to serve more than 700,000 individuals in need. 

Balçkik was lauded for her pioneering work in data-driven decision-making during the preparedness, response and recovery phases of humanitarian operations. Her research in areas such as stock pre-positioning, last-mile aid planning, supplier framework agreements and needs assessment planning as well as her collaboration with researchers from around the world have led to many tangible gains in disaster preparedness, coordination and fairness.  

Finally, ALAN’s founders and founding organizations   — seven individuals and nine professional associations or nonprofits –were recognized for creating ALAN in 2005 and providing ALAN with ongoing support ever since.  Over the past two decades, ALAN has served more than 300 non-profit organizations across more than 100 disasters, delivering free logistics services, equipment and expertise that have been valued at missions of dollars and benefitting the lives of approximately 10 million people.

“Each of these recipients exemplifies what selfless logistics is all about – all while reminding us of the incredible good the supply chain community can do,” Fulton said.  “We’re thankful for their generosity, inspired by their example, and honored to give them the recognition they so deeply deserve.”

Click here to read more on the awards and ALAN.

About ALAN’s founders and founding organizations

In October 2005, the following seven individuals and nine professional organizations came together at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professional’s annual EDGE conference to create ALAN:  Jock Menzies, Mark Richards, Richard Sharpe, Michael Gardner, Bob Shannaussey, Cheryl Harrity, Gene Klein, International Warehouse Logistics Association, Council Of Supply Chain Management Professionals, American Frozen Food Institute, International Association of Refrigerated Professionals (now the Global Cold Chain Alliance), MHI, Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association, Warehouse Education Research Council, Grocery Manufacturers Association (now Consumer Brands Association, and America’s Second Harvest (now Feeding America).

About The Humanitarian Logistics Awards

Established in 2017, ALAN’s Humanitarian Logistics Awards recognize companies and individuals who exemplify the best that the supply chain has to offer by assuring that aid is rapidly delivered to communities in crisis.  Presented annually, they are open to any logistics professional, organization or department.  For a complete list of previous winners, go to https://www.alanaid.org/humanitarian-logistics-awards-previous-winners/

About ALAN Founded in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, ALAN is a philanthropic, industry-wide organization that provides free logistics assistance to disaster relief organizations before, during and after catastrophic events. It does this by bringing the expertise and resources of the logistics industry together with humanitarian organizations so that help can arrive sooner, and each relief dollar can be maximized. Over the years it has coordinated compassionate supply chain services for various disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and floods. To learn more visit http://www.alanaid.org.