This July, ShelterBox expanded its operations team to welcome Tim Hedges as the new Operations Rotary Liaison. This new role within ShelterBox works to strengthen the partnership between ShelterBox and Rotary International in the field as we work together as international project partners in disaster relief.
Having been involved with ShelterBox for some years I have recently joined the staff as Operations Rotary Liaison to build and maintain links with Rotary clubs in areas frequently affected by disasters. ShelterBox has a long connection with the Rotary organization through fundraising and our wonderful affiliate network, but the vast majority of our deployments feature input from local Rotarians. Their skills, contacts and sheer hard work is often invaluable in ensuring the success of a response and, whatever the scale or type of a disaster, the Rotary network is often best placed to assist our teams with local knowledge and support such as transport, accommodation, and translation services.........
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Historically these contacts have often been made reactively – a team will arrive in the disaster affected area and seek out the local Rotary club, or a Rotarian may contact ShelterBox following a disaster to ask for our assistance. I aim to build these relationships proactively, before we are called upon to respond, in order to increase the efficiency with which we are able to help those who have lost everything.
By sharing information and training, I hope to enable Rotarians in disaster affected areas to interact even more effectively with our response teams and to support them in strengthening local capacity to deal with disasters. The affected community are, after all, the first people to respond after disaster strikes and are in the best position to help inform our decision making. By deepening our operational links with the Rotary network, we will continue to strengthen our partnership and, ultimately, help both organizations to reach more people in need.
CURRENT DEPLOYMENT UPDATE
ShelterBox is currently assisting families in Niger, Cameroon and Chad due to the Lake Chad Basin crisis, Iraq and the Syrian Region due to ongoing conflict, Somaliland as a result of the ongoing drought and famine and Uganda due to ongoing conflict. ShelterBox is also monitoring Myanmar, China, Japan, Venezuela, Kenya, Sudan and Mexico to see if we can assist families.
HURRICANE HARVEY DEVASTATES TEXAS |
Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday and has brought sustained rain and flooding to some of Texas' most populated areas. At least five people have been killed and more than a dozen injured. The storm has brought torrential rainfall and has turned roads into raging rivers. By the time the storm ends, some areas may see more than 50 inches of rain. ShelterBox is monitoring the situation and has mobilized a team of local Response Team members to assess the need for emergency shelter. To find the most up to date information about our responses around the world and where we are monitoring please follow us on social media. |
ShelterBox Canada – 159 Jane Street, Office 2, Toronto, ON M6S 3Y8
E: support@shelterboxcanada.org T: 647.352.1930 www.shelterboxcanada.org
ShelterBox and Rotary are official project partners in international disaster relief. ShelterBox is a registered charity independent of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation