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September 2026 | impactingourfuture.com

Disaster Preparedness 02

BETTINA STIX

Amazon’s director of global community impact discusses the importance of using international corporate resources for community disaster relief Read more on Page 04

“In every disaster, the people closest to the impact are the people closest to the solution.” Patty McIlreavy, President and CEO, Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP)

“Wildfire is one of the few disasters where homeowners can dramatically reduce their risk with simple, do-ityourself projects.” Leslie Chapman-Henderson, President and CEO, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)

Beyond Relief: The Long Road to Recovery When a disaster strikes, the world responds. Headlines dominate the news cycle, donations surge, and communities and emergency teams rally to help. Then, the attention fades. But for the people living through the aftermath, recovery is only beginning.

isaster recovery does not happen overnight. Rebuilding homes and restoring infrastructure can take years. Recovery is also about restoring economic stability, mental and emotional well-being, and community connections. It means addressing the vulnerabilities that made people and communities more susceptible to harm in the first place and ensuring that everyone in the affected area has the opportunity to recover stronger and thrive. That is where the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) comes in. As disasters become more frequent and severe amid climate change and global instability, recovery efforts can feel increasingly reactive. CDP helps donors, foundations, and corporations maximize their impact through expert guidance, community-driven grantmaking, and strategic funding focused on long-term outcomes.

What does recovery really mean? Recovery is often thought of as clearing debris, repairing roads, and rebuilding structures. These efforts are essential, but they are only one part of a much larger process. True recovery enables people to sustain their physical, social, economic, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It includes housing stability, mental health services, education, livelihood restoration, and community cohesion. Recovery efforts work best when communities lead the way. “In every disaster, the people closest to the impact are the people closest to the solution,” said Patty McIlreavy, president and CEO of CDP. The most effective support invests in local leadership, strengthens community organizations, and advances solutions shaped by lived experience. CDP helps make that possible through expert resources, community-centered grantmaking, and strategic advising. @impactingourfuture

The funding gap few people see One of the biggest challenges in disaster recovery is timing. Donations often peak in the days and weeks after a disaster, when public attention is highest. Yet, six months later, funding has often dramatically declined, even though recovery is far from complete. Communities continue to face housing shortages, food insecurity, economic hardship, and ongoing trauma long after headlines disappear. Long-term recovery remains significantly underfunded despite its critical role in building resilient communities. Philanthropy can play a vital role in addressing these gaps. Nonprofits and philanthropic organizations are often deeply connected to local communities and can direct resources where they are needed most.

@MediaplanetUSA

In every disaster, the people closest to the impact are the people closest to the solution. Supporting communities beyond the headlines Long-term recovery requires more than rebuilding infrastructure. Communities need safe housing, mental health support, and livelihoods, among other urgent needs. Disasters may capture global attention for a moment, but recovery shapes communities for generations. Written by Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP)

Contact information: US.editorial@mediaplanet.com

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Publisher Angela Li Business Developer Isabella Rawls Managing Director Samantha Taylor Production Manager Dustin Brennan Creative Director Kylie Armishaw Product Strategy & Growth Director Joelle Hernandez Copy Editor Taylor Rice Cover Photo by Coco Foto All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today. 02

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Beyond Disaster Relief: Investing in Western North Carolina’s Long-Term Recovery When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina nearly two years ago, it took Master BBQ’s food truck with it. For Paul Pike, a fourth-generation chef carrying on his family’s Filipino culinary tradition, the loss put his livelihood on hold.

ike received funding and wraparound support to help rebuild through Mountain Bizworks, one of the community organizations supported by the Truist Foundation Western North Carolina Recovery and Resiliency Fund. The fund is a multi-year grantmaking initiative launched in partnership with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. His story offers a glimpse of what long-term disaster recovery can look like when the goal is not simply to provide immediate relief, but to help communities build a better, more sustainable future.

Recovery doesn’t end when the emergency does In November 2024, Truist and Truist Foundation — headquartered in Charlotte — announced a three-year, $725 million commitment to support recovery and resiliency across Western North Carolina. As part of that broader commitment, Truist Foundation partnered with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) on a $21 million fund focused on long-term recovery. That fund has now been fully deployed, supporting housing, small businesses, and community resilience across the region. For Truist, the initiative reflects the connection between financial and community resilience. “A disaster can erase years of financial progress in just a matter of days,” noted Namrata Yadav, chief culture and philanthropy officer at Truist. Helping communities recover, she said, is part of taking a long-term view of financial resilience.

Start by asking what the community needs The approach wasn’t simply to decide what communities needed from a READ MORE AT IMPACTINGOURFUTURE.COM

distance and write checks accordingly. Truist Foundation and CDP began with a needs assessment and disaster impact study, then used those findings to shape and adjust grantmaking as recovery evolved. “Together we used those findings to adjust the strategy,” shared Sara Manning, head of operations at Truist Foundation, “to ensure that the funding continued to address the right needs at the right time over the long haul.” That meant continuing to listen as needs changed and using local knowledge to help identify gaps. The resulting support reached areas and communities that can easily be overlooked in disaster response, for example, supporting small businesses including farmers, mobile home repair and replacement, disaster case management, and pro bono legal services.

Rebuilding more than what was lost Supporting a small business can have an impact that scales beyond any single owner. When a business reopens, jobs are preserved, local commerce resumes, and another piece of a community’s economic life returns. The “main streets” within the rural communities aren’t just in name; these are areas where rebuilding and resilience are essential for the well-being and future growth of those in the city’s limits. Because of CDP and Truist Foundation’s grant to Mountain BizWorks, Pike and his wife not only received funding to help rebuild Master BBQ, but support that helped strengthen their business and restore their confidence in reopening. For Yadav, the experience has underscored the difference between immediate relief and long-term recovery. “Relief helps people make

Paul Pike in the Master BBQ food truck | Photo courtesy of Real Digital Productions

it through today,” she reflected. “But recovery is what comes next. Sending boxes of diapers or providing a hot meal can meet an immediate need, but long-term recovery is about creating opportunities, restoring hope, and helping a community not just recover, but thrive for years to come.” For Western North Carolina, that future is being rebuilt one home, business, and community at a time. And for Pike, it means getting back to doing what he does best: feeding Asheville, one plate of barbecue at a time.

INTERVIEW WITH

Namrata Yadav Chief Culture and Philanthropy Officer, Truist

Written by Emily Rose INTERVIEW WITH

Scan the QR code to learn more about Truist Cares for Western North Carolina

Sara Manning Head of Operations, Truist Foundation

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How to Stay Connected During Any Disaster From monitoring storms to helping family evacuate a disaster safely together, here’s advice on staying connected even when the grid is down.

hen it comes to a disaster, sometimes the greatest challenge can be staying in touch with loved ones. Since any disaster can take cell towers and electrical grids offline, it’s essential to have multiple means of staying connected and informed.

Tune in to the radio National Oceanic and Atmoshpheric Administration weather radios broadcast emergency alerts and weather updates without needing internet or cell service. Having an old-school radio will also allow you to hear official emergency updates. Even better, invest in an inexpensive battery-powered or hand-crank emergency radio.

Go for satellite-enabled comms A satellite phone, or SAT phone, is great. iPhones 14 or later, Android Google Pixels 10, and Samsung Galaxies S25 can also send free SOS messages to emergency services.

Program emergency contacts and keep written copies Having a hard copy of your contacts can be a lifesaver if your device get destroyed in a disaster.

Choose SMS over calls Text messages often work when voice calls don’t, as they require less bandwidth and can queue up until networks clear. If you’re trying to get emergency info out to friends and family, text before calling.

Bettina Stix (right) with Amazon’s disaster relief innovation and technology lead Jeffrey Schweitzer (far left) and disaster relief senior manager Abe Diaz | Photo courtesy of Amazon

How One Leader Focuses on Strengths for Better Disaster Relief The origins of Amazon’s disaster relief program highlight how companies and organizations can lean into what they excel at to help with disaster relief.

n 2004, an undersea earthquake 150 miles off the coast of Indonesia triggered a massive tsunami that decimated nearby islands, making it one of the worst natural disasters in modern history. At the time, Bettina Stix was working at Amazon when a few software engineers asked her to add a donation button to the Amazon homepage to help those affected by the tsunami. The company raised $15 million in disaster relief. Out of the disaster came an idea for Stix: “What if we did more than a button on the homepage? What if we could stand on the shoulders of Amazon and everything that Amazon is good at, like logistics, operational excellence, and resources, to help in disasters?” From there, Amazon disaster relief was born. Today, the company has donated and delivered more than 30 million emergency supplies in response to 200+ disasters around the world.

Leaning on Amazon’s resources Use walkie-talkies Having a couple of walkie-talkies charged and ready allows you to stay in touch with family members as you navigate a disaster zone together or separately. Written by Julie H. Case, Team Rubicon

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Disaster relief often happens ad hoc, meaning companies and organizations jump into action after the disaster has already begun. Stix says it doesn’t have to be that way. One of the main objectives of the Amazon disaster relief program is to prepare supplies in advance so they can reach victims of natural disasters as quickly as possible. They do

this by using Amazon trucks, airplanes, and fulfillment centers. For example, Stix explained that heavy-duty tarps are essential, especially after a hurricane. These tarps, along with other supplies, sit on large pallets around the world, ready to be shipped at a moment’s notice.

Other leaders can prepare for disaster relief, too Stix said company leaders should care about their employees and their families first. “Know where your employees are from,” she said, “so you know if they’re affected by a disaster. It goes a long way.” Companies then need to know their “secret sauce,” just as Amazon did with its program. “Concentrate on what you’re good at,” Stix said. “Whether it’s your scale or your services, use your strengths to make a positive impact in communities.” Disaster relief is a team sport that doesn’t happen at a moment’s notice, but requires years of preparation across multiple stakeholders. “Disaster relief works best when the world comes together, when everyone does their part, and when we all play a role,” Stix said. Written by Frank James READ MORE AT IMPACTINGOURFUTURE.COM

Wildfire Strong: Why Wildfire Is the Most DIY-Friendly Disaster Wildfire is the rare disaster where a homeowner’s weekend projects can meaningfully change whether a house survives.

ost natural disasters leave homeowners feeling powerless. You can’t stop a hurricane from making landfall. You can’t steer a tornado away from your neighborhood. You can’t prevent an earthquake. But wildfire is different. Wildfire is one of the few disasters where homeowners can dramatically reduce their risk with simple, do-it-yourself projects. That’s because every wildfire depends on three ingredients: heat, oxygen, and fuel. We can’t control the heat from an approaching wildfire or remove the oxygen from the air, but we can control the fuel.

Start with the first 5 feet When wind-driven embers arrive, they’re searching for something to ignite, like dry leaves in gutters, pine needles against the foundation, bark mulch touching the house, firewood stacked on the porch, or shrubs beneath a

window. Those everyday items become fuel. Extensive research now shows that creating a 5-foot nonignitable buffer zone around your home is the most critical and effective wildfire prevention method. Create this zone by replacing mulch and shrubs with gravel or stone for the first 5 feet around your home. Rake leaves away from your foundation. Next, trim back overgrown vegetation. Move firewood away from the house. Eliminate dead plants and branches that allow fire to climb from the ground into trees. Keep gutters clear of plant materials like pine needles. Take away the fuel, and you’ve likely taken away the wildfire’s welcome mat. While no home is ever fireproof, reducing ignitable materials around your home can dramatically improve its chances of surviving a wildfire. Written by Leslie Chapman-Henderson, President and CEO, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)

The Reality of Small Business Recovery After a Disaster Most small business owners believe they could recover from a disaster, yet the majority have no plan for one.

ast August, Natasha Broxton was already carrying the weight of a flood that had hit her business in Milwaukee. Then came a snow emergency and power outage in March that brought revenue to a standstill. A few weeks later, severe wind and rain knocked out power again. For Broxton, the repeated disruptions exposed a hard truth many small business owners face: Resilience is tested not in a single catastrophic event, but through a succession of interruptions that drain time and revenue. Most small business owners are optimistic about their ability to recover from a disruption, but research by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Verizon suggests many underestimate how long recovery can take and whether they have the funds to sustain operations during a temporary closure. In fact, 80% of small businesses do not have a disaster budget. That gap between confidence and true READ MORE AT IMPACTINGOURFUTURE.COM

readiness leaves businesses vulnerable. Among small business leaders negatively affected by a disaster or major disruption, 53% said it took more than three months to resume normal operations. For a small business, that can mean lost revenue, payroll strain, supplier delays, and prolonged uncertainty. Preparedness is not just about believing a business can recover; it is about having a plan for when recovery takes longer than expected. Small businesses need continuity plans that identify essential operations, outline employee and customer communications, protect records, address supplier disruptions, and prioritize the steps required to reopen. For small businesses operating on tight margins, even a small, localized disruption can become a significant financial challenge if they are forced to recover without a plan. Written by Rob Glenn, Vice President, Global Resilience, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation MEDIAPLANET