If you missed part 1, click here to check it out.
In part 1, we learned how LHI obtains humanitarian aid supplies. In part two, we’ll explore how LHI gets those supplies from their warehouse in American Fork, Utah, into the hands of refugees around the world.
Part 2: Delivering the Goods
Volunteers sort through donated items in preparation for a shipment.
Once aid supplies are at our warehouse (having been gathered by volunteers at more than three dozen drop-off locations or delivered after being purchased by supporters from our Amazon Wishlist), volunteers begin sorting through it all, checking expiration dates on food and hygiene items. Everything is sorted and boxed by item or kit, clearly labeled, and moved to the appropriate location in the warehouse depending on where it will be shipped (we collect supplies for multiple shipments at the same time).
Oh, so where do we get all the boxes? Some boxes are provided by our partner org, Helping Hand for Relief and Development. Others come from a generous local donor who supplies us with clean boxes that were previously used to hold envelopes. It’s important for the boxes to be the same size so they will fill the space inside the shipping containers as efficiently as possible.
Items are logged into a spreadsheet to speed along the customs process.
Every box is numbered and every donation is logged into a spreadsheet, which helps us track what we have sent and ensures that the container gets through customs in an efficient manner. Aid supply numbers from the spreadsheets also provide information to update our online Shipment Tracker, enabling our supporters to check the status of shipments and see photos of the aid being distributed to refugees around the world.
A full container, ready to ship!
Once we have enough labeled boxes to fill a 40’ shipping container, we contact HHRD and make arrangements to have a container delivered to our warehouse for loading. On social media, we advertise the need for volunteers to help us load it. We can usually have the container filled with a team of volunteers in 2 hours or less. Once fully loaded, we put a seal on it and send it on its way!
We love seeing their smiles!
When the container arrives at its destination port, it goes through the standard customs process. Once it clears customs, HHRD or their partner org on the ground delivers the supplies to their final destination for distribution. After the distribution is complete, we receive a distribution report with information about the beneficiaries and pictures of the aid being distributed. Seeing the smiles on their faces is our favorite part. It makes all the hard work worth it!
Click here to learn more about our Beyond Borders program!
LHI’s humanitarian aid warehouse is home to three different programs that provide aid to refugees. Through our Beyond Borders program, we deliver aid to international destinations, and each shipment gets distributed to tens of thousands of refugees. We also provide aid to asylum seekers at our southern border through our Border Aid program. Finally, through our Welcome program, we assist resettled refugees by providing them with basic household items, allowing them to use the small stipend they receive for other necessities like transportation to their jobs, rent payments, etc.