Problem Statement
Storms, floods, and fires are growing in frequency and severity, threatening people’s health and safety worldwide. With first-hand knowledge and networks, community groups, such as mutual-aid groups, resident associations, and faith-based organizations, are often best positioned to direct responses to the right places at the right time. However, there is an urgent need to bridge the current operation, information, and coordination barriers between these local community groups and humanitarian aid agencies to meet the growing challenges of helping those affected.
Proposed Solution
Re+connect is a civic technology solution that leverages human networks and machine intelligence to close the last-mile disaster relief delivery gaps and builds long-term resilience for underserved communities. Through a suite of mobile and desktop applications, community groups mobilize local residents to collect information about the community’s needs and capacities and to participate in local relief missions. Community groups and aid agencies can now easily collaborate and make informed decisions to direct relief goods and services to the right places when needed. Over time, we help track efforts to demonstrate impact and adapt to new challenges. With a long-term vision for global impact, re+connect will first bring positive changes to vulnerable individuals and their communities in the most climate disaster prone and populated regions of the United States, including Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.
