evacuteer.org co-hosts CrisisCampNola, builds neworleanshaiti.org in one day.
NEW ORLEANS–In a sign of generosity and community, 30 members of the New Orleans community came together last Saturday for CrisisCampNola. The event, billed as an “unconference” brought the New Orleans’ creative and tech class together with non-developers and 10 haitian New Orleanians.
By the end of the day, the developers built a website, www.neworleanshaiti.org, to serve as a communication tool for the 4,000 New Orleanians of Haitian descent. Also, developers worked on national scale open source technology for Haitian relief efforts.
“We can’t thank you enough for helping us through this tough time,” said Hector Louis-Jeune, a representative from the Haitian Catholic Community of New Orleans.
The causemoplitan.com, evacuteer.org team up to host CrisisCampNOLA
NEW ORLEANS–via neworleanstech.net: http://bit.ly/8h0XFo
No one has been immune to the recent news about the devastating earthquakes that rocked Haiti. Support in the form of money, clothes, and food have already poured out to aid the the nation. But technologist across the country have found an unique way to support the disaster. Under a cause called Crisis Commons programmers, developers, and everyday volunteers have united together to use their skills for good. Crisis Commons spawned from talks that happened at Transparency Camp 09 and Government 2.0 Camp. Several “campers” exchanged ideas about how to better connect people, utilize social networks, and disseminate information through the use of technology, especially during times and places of crisis.
Crisis Common is now a national event to develop technology tools to assist in times of crisis — particularly in support of the recent Haitian earthquakes. So far Crisis Common techies from Atlanta to Los Angeles have helped develop such tools as Mobile Applications For Crisis Response, a Craigslist style exchange area for self-identified needs and requests by non-profits assisting in Haiti relief operations, and family reunification systems. These are just a few of the tools that people have created by pooling their skills sets and resources.
Sloane Berrent from The Causemopolitan and Robert Fogarty from Evacuteer have partnered to put on a barcamp style event on this Saturday modeled after Crisis Common called CrisisCampNOLA. The event will get volunteers together for a day to contribute something in line with the Crisis Commons cause. Developers (people with skills in programming, web design, application development, UI) and non developers (everyday people who are good at organizing, planning, social media, or scribing) are asked to come out this Saturday, January 23rd from 9AM until 6PM to help the group achieve its goal. The event will be held at LaunchPad NOLA, 643 Magazine St.
If you want to help the CrisisCampNOLA cause feel free to show up at the event on Saturday and give a helping hand, tell a friend, or just get the word out.
Register: http://crisiscampnola.eventbrite.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Orleans-LA/Crisis-Camp-NOLA-crisiscampNOLA/260688229635
Twitter: http://twitter.com/crisiscampnola
Phone: 310.422.4895 (Yes, this is a local person)
Hector Jeune estimates there are 4,000-6,000 Haitian New Orleanians
Evacuteer.org reports to City Council
NEW ORLEANS–On Thursday January 7, 2010, evacuteer.org director Robert Fogarty presented to the City Council the organization’s 2009 accomplishments and 2010 goals. In addition to the eight minute presentation, Councilmembers Jackie Clarkson, Cynthia Willard-Lewis and Arnie Fielkow gave positive feedback and asked engaged questions. Colonel Jerry Sneed director of the City’s Office of Homeland Security was scheduled to testifiy as well but had to attend to another matter. After the meeting, he sent an email to all of the council members:
“I feel it is important for you to know how well this organization is doing and how we plan to continue to use them. I can’t emphasize enough to you how important I think this organization is…”
In 2009:
~evacuteer.org recruited and trained 21 partner organizations and 426 “evacuteers” (evacuation + volunteers) nearly every Saturday throughout hurricane season in partnership with the Red Cross to train citizen volunteers on their roles within the City Assisted Evacuation Plan in advance of a category three or higher storm.
~evacuteer.org developed a defined and direct training program providing information on roles of citizen volunteers in the CAEP
~evacuteer.org received its 501c3 tax exempt status from the IRS six weeks after sending the application on model cooperative non-profit government model based much off of Parkway Partners where the City’s applicable director has a seat on the board and the non-profit’s mission is to directly enhance an initiative overseen by the government(In our case it’s Col. Sneed, in Parkway Partners, its Ann MacDonald)
~evacuteer.org developed an extensive social media following on twitter and facebook and traditional media outlets WDSU, WGNO, WVUE, WWOZ, WWNO, WEZB, the Times Picayune, the Gambit’s “40 under 40 issue” featured evacuteer.org
~evacuteer.org founder Robert Fogarty presented to a group of Pakistani diplomats on a trip to America studying recovery and disaster sponsored by the US Department of State
~evacuteer.org founder Robert Fogarty presented to the World Conference on Disaster Management about utilizing branding and social media innovation to engage citizens in disaster preparedness.
2010 goals:
~Host a beginning of hurricane summit for all 426 evacuteers and partner organizations to dust off CAEP concepts and prepare for storm season as well as new possible partner organizations
~Have all 17 CAEP pick-up points “adopted” by neighborhood associations and/or faith based groups
~Increase unaffiliated volunteer involvement by 20 percent to from 100 unaffiliated volunteer to 120
~Increase partner organization involvement and commitment by 30 percent form 21 groups to 28