{"id":692,"date":"2013-10-03T14:04:24","date_gmt":"2013-10-03T18:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irnsurplus.com\/wp\/?page_id=692"},"modified":"2024-02-16T14:26:14","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T19:26:14","slug":"joplin-tornado-relief-irn-boston-university-the-university-of-central-missouri-and-staples-join-forces-to-make-a-difference","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/case-studies\/joplin-tornado-relief-irn-boston-university-the-university-of-central-missouri-and-staples-join-forces-to-make-a-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Higher Ed: Joplin Tornado Relief – IRN, Boston University, the University of Central Missouri, and Staples Join Forces to Make a Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Stacey<\/a>
Onsite to help receive and distribute relief supplies, Stacey Clark of IRN took this photo of damage in Joplin on June 6, 2011, two weeks after the tornado.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When we heard about the Joplin tornado on May 22, 2011, our first reaction was the shock that was shared nationwide.\u00a0 Our second was to ask what IRN could do to help.\u00a0 We have access to a large quantity and variety of usable furniture and equipment.\u00a0 How could IRN put our Surplus Program at the service of Joplin relief efforts?<\/p>\n

Establishing a Local Connection.<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0Unless you are working with an organization that\u2019s directly involved in on-site relief, you can\u2019t just fill a truck, label it \u201cJoplin\u201d, and send it. \u00a0It will have nowhere to go, and instead of helping it will get in the way.\u00a0 It will be turned back. \u00a0So our first step was to reach out to our network of charitable partners. \u00a0Feed the Children told us they were closely involved in the Joplin relief effort, and they identified several urgent\u00a0needs, including beds and mattresses, bedding, refrigerators and cooking appliances.<\/p>\n

Partnering with BU and UCM to Provide Relief Supplies.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 We reviewed our project list and saw two coming up which matched the needs identified by Feed the Children.\u00a0 Boston University was swapping out dormitory fridge-microwave units, and was also replacing several hundred mattresses.<\/p>\n

\"BU<\/a>
BU student volunteers brought out hundreds of microfridges and mattresses. These were loaded onto Staples trucks for shipment to Joplin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Central Missouri had a project that included a large number of beds and cots with their bedding.\u00a0 IRN contacted both schools and got their OK to direct these items to Joplin.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The University of Central Missouri provided hundreds of beds, cots, and sets of bedding from a planned furniture replacement.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trucking: Staples Steps Up.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 We also needed a partner with national logistics capabilities who could provide immediate transportation to Joplin.\u00a0 Staples stepped up to the plate, agreeing to provide and pay for trucks and trucking with just two days notice. \u00a0Staples also assembled a crew of employee volunteers to unload the relief supplies in Joplin and help with their distribution.<\/p>\n

\"Staples<\/a>
Staples provided trucking and a volunteer crew to unload BU and UCM relief supplies at Joplin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Making it Click.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Feed the Children set up contacts with two organizations in Joplin to receive BU\u2019s and UCM\u2019s contributions:\u00a0 Family Life Community Outreach and Operation Compassion.\u00a0 On June 1, a crew of BU student volunteers loaded 133 fridge-microwaves and 75 mattresses onto a Staples truck.\u00a0 On June 2 and 3, UCM filled more Staples trucks with 500 bedspreads and blankets, 75 camp beds, and 50 military cots.\u00a0 The loads were delivered to Joplin on June 6, and became part of the foundation for families to put their lives back together following the tornado.<\/p>\n

IRN started as a cooperative, and that\u2019s still how we work:\u00a0 combining the strength of many organizations in the interest of all.\u00a0 The surplus program takes the model a step further, in that the final beneficiaries aren\u2019t IRN or our members or clients:\u00a0 they are very needy families and communities in very grave situations.\u00a0 There are a lot of reasons we love what we do.\u00a0 This is one of the best.<\/p>\n

Click here for a printable PDF of this case study.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Joplin<\/a>
Staples volunteers provided more than 100 man-hours of labor to unload and help distribute relief supplies from Boston University and the University of Central Missouri. Staples also provided trucking at no cost.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Joplin<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When we heard about the Joplin tornado on May 22, 2011, our first reaction was the shock that was shared nationwide.\u00a0 Our second was to ask what IRN could do to help.\u00a0 We have access to a large quantity and variety of usable furniture and equipment.\u00a0 How could IRN put our Surplus Program at the … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Higher Ed: Joplin Tornado Relief – IRN, Boston University, the University of Central Missouri, and Staples Join Forces to Make a Difference”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":311,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-692","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=692"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9119,"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/692\/revisions\/9119"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irnsurplus.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}