Congratulations Microsoft for Being Named a Computerworld Honors Award Laureate

We would like to congratulate our partners in the Microsoft Disaster Response Program on being named an Honorary Laureate in The Computerworld Honors Program for their work with Second Harvest Japan and Aidmatrix in the Japanese tsunami disaster relief efforts. The Microsoft Disaster Response Portal enabled responders to rapidly share critical information with the community and other relief organizations using dynamic maps, social media integration, photos & video content. "The Computerworld Honors Program was especially competitive this year, as more than 500 IT initiatives were nominated for their innovation and benefit to society," said Julia King, executive editor of events, Computerworld.

The winners will be recognized publicly at the Laureate Medal Ceremony and Awards Gala at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. on June 4, 2012

Learn more about the Computerworld Honors Program

Learn more about the Honorary Laureates

Real-World Windows Azure: Interview with Michael Ross, VP of Delivery at Aidmatrix

Interview by Himanshu Singh for Windows Azure Blogs

As part of the Real World Windows Azure interview series, I talked to Michael Ross, vice president for Delivery at Aidmatrix, about using Windows Azure to help power its humanitarian aid delivery solutions. Here’s what he had to say.

Himanshu Kumar Singh: Tell me about the Aidmatrix Foundation.

Michael Ross: Well, we create web-based supply-chain management (SCM) solutions that help our partners optimize distributing humanitarian relief. We started in 2001 and are headquartered in Dallas, with offices in Wisconsin, Washington D.C., Germany and India. More than 40,000 leading nonprofit, business, and government partners leverage our solutions to mobilize more than $1.5 billion in aid annually, worldwide. The donated goods, money and services impact the lives of more than 65 million people.

HKS: How does Aidmatrix leverage technology to deliver humanitarian aid?

MR: Increasingly, technology plays a vital role in enabling the rapid, targeted distribution of relief supplies to those in need. Our solutions help NGOs procure, manage and deliver humanitarian relief more efficiently by having real-time access to know what inventory is on hand and what unmet needs still exist. In this way, NGOs can save money in their purchasing, be more efficient in their distribution, and more responsive and transparent with their donors.

Read the full interview

Aidmatrix Speaks at National Defense University Conference on Horn of Africa Food Security Crisis

Aidmatrix's President & CEO Governor Scott McCallum spoke at the National Defense University's Conference on March 8th, which was titled “Horn of Africa Food Security Crisis: Implications for United States Africa Command”. Governor McCallum spoke on a panel about "Environmental Issues". The discussion was on the current negative trends for water/power/food availability in the Horn of Africa, and what steps need to be taken to address these concerns, as well as how environmental factors, especially deforestation, contributed to the famine in the Horn of Africa.

Read more about the conference

Spring Brings Killer Tornados to U.S. - National Donations Management Network Responds

Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Alabama all were hit by severe tornadoes in the past week. FEMA and the State Offices of Emergency Services are responding to these events. The National Donations Management Network (NDMN) helps support the States and their Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs) in the recovery efforts by listing items needed by responders and ways in which to give. If you wish to give to the relief efforts, you can visit www.ndmn.us.

San Francisco's Fleet Week Association Launches Site for Van, Turkey Earthquake Recovery

The San Francisco Fleet Week Association is partnering with the City and County of San Francisco to assist with humanitarian aid to Van, Turkey, which experienced a devastating earthquake in late 2011. The Fleet Week Association has launched portals for both goods and financial donations. To learn more and to respond with direct donations to those in need, visit http://sffleetweekassoc.blob.core.windows.net/index.html.