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In 2009 an idea was born to merge the advancement of commercial aviation and humanitarianism together to respond to natural disasters around the globe. This idea quickly became reality and Airlink launched its first humanitarian response in 2010 when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti. During this inaugural response, Airlink partnered with both commercial aviation and private nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to coordinate more than 2,000 doctors and support staff, in addition to 40 shipments of aid—totaling over 500,000 pounds—to communities in need.
“It’s not aid if you can’t get it there – and lack of funding for transportation and logistics is the biggest factor,” says Sandra Walter, strategic engagement and major gifts officer at Airlink, based in Washington D.C. The nonprofit organization has supported the transportation and logistics needs of over 200 humanitarian organizations plus delivery of millions of pounds of aid to help improve global disaster responses while fostering collaboration across the aviation and humanitarian sectors.
In her interview, Walter shares why the freedom to give including donor privacy, donor intent and flexible giving vehicles are critical to Airlink’s life-saving work.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What does excellence mean to Airlink and how do you define impactful corporate partnerships within your mission?
Walter: Airlink was founded in 2010 by a group of aviation industry professionals with a vision to utilize excess aviation capacity to deliver humanitarian aid. Over 50% of our budget is provided through gift-in-kind airlift and logistics support. Through these partnerships, we are able to multiply every dollar donated by two to five times in value delivered.
Airlink is changing how both the aviation and the humanitarian sectors respond to disasters worldwide. Our model is built on both securing philanthropic support and leveraging private-sector partnerships. We bring commercial aviation and freight forwarders together to make it possible for reputable NGOs and nonprofit relief organizations to respond quickly to the increasing rate and severity of disasters, and other humanitarian crises domestically and internationally. Budgets for NGOs are frequently outpaced by the complexity of transportation logistics and the significant costs to deliver aid from the first to the last mile.
Q: What type of impact has Airlink had in response to natural disasters and humanitarian crises? Can you discuss your work in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton?
Walter: Our NGO partners indicate that upwards of 80% of their responses would not have been possible without our work providing free or heavily discounted transportation, expertise to overcome logistical challenges and donor support. Our donors sponsor aid shipments and transportation for emergency responders which expands surge capacity and recovery operations. In any given year, we may provide $7-15 million in transportation support and savings to nonprofit relief organizations.
We estimate that our responses to Atlantic hurricanes last year, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton, helped 1.2 million people and carried 1,000-plus responders from 32 relief organizations to hardest hit communities throughout Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. Long-term recovery to aid people in restoring their homes, communities and livelihoods will continue including medical, mental health, child trauma, shelter, home remediation and restoration services.
Through its private sector partnership and donor support, Airlink has already provided over $1.4 million in savings to relief partners for hurricane responses, enabling them to deliver help while also utilizing available funding to invest in their programs and services.
In 2023, Airlink delivered aid to over 13.7 million people by facilitating the transport of 2,237 tons of aid and 1,686 responders. In all, we helped 122 NGOs deliver aid in 52 countries. We simultaneously responded to natural disasters and complex crises in more than a dozen countries across the world.
Q: Can you highlight the need for organizations such as Airlink to step into crises faster than government entities? How quickly can you mobilize to provide aid, and do you find you are nimbler and more responsive than governments?
Walter: Devastating disasters and large-scale humanitarian crises rely on a cross-sector response. The nonprofit and NGO community are central and significant to the formula for successful intervention, but wouldn’t be able to provide their aid without private sector collaborators and drivers. Airlink is the key partner that coordinates the two sides of a humanitarian response. Together, they share mission expertise focused on providing rapid response to crisis situations and providing long-term care programs and support to communities in need.
Guided by seasoned and focused humanitarian professionals, Airlink expands the knowledge base for response through prepositioning, collaboration and after-action evaluation. This increases the sector’s capacity over time and results in greater readiness and mobilization. Airlink ensures that when relief experts are ready to mobilize logistics, complexity and transportation costs are not barriers to aid delivery.
For many vulnerable communities government intervention may not be well-received due to geo-political conflicts or lack of trust at the community level. Or, government-funded programs may not be able to fulfill the entire needs of the community, leaving gaps in rebuilding and community or health system strengthening. In these cases and more, Airlink and its partners emerge as vital players and solutions to the problems in the wake of a disaster or crisis.
Q: How has philanthropy stepped in to help communities in the United States and abroad?
Walter: In any disaster or humanitarian response, it takes multiple relief partners, bringing expertise from a cross-section of interventions, to holistically address the needs of a community in crisis. No one organization can cover all of the support services required. Airlink uplifts communities, enabling them to gain access to emergency medical treatment, shelter assistance, clean water, hygiene supplies, solar energy and other services that help families and individuals return to their homes and stabilize their lives.
Airlink works directly with NGOs already in place regionally where the crisis is unfolding or ongoing, to make sure all of the aid being sent reflects their needs and can be received. Through impact reports from our NGO partners, Airlink understands that 60-80% of the responses we provide support for would not be possible on the same scale—and many times, they would not be possible at all. Working with Airlink, donors are supporting a variety of credible relief organizations across the U.S. and the world with deep community connections that are trusted both by donors and aid recipients.
Q: Why does philanthropic freedom, donor privacy and the freedom to give matter to Airlink?
Walter: Donor-centered trust is essential to philanthropy. Airlink respects the right of donors to choose how they direct their philanthropy and to be provided with transparency on the use of their generosity to safeguard their donor intent. We also believe donors have a First Amendment right to privacy and confidentiality.
Q: Does Airlink accept gifts from donor-advised funds (DAFs) and if so, can you touch on why DAFs are important for giving vehicles?
Walter: Airlink receives donations annually from hundreds of DAF donors. In turn, we provide them with regular updates on the impact of their support and the value of their gifts. The efficiency of investing and giving through a DAF increases our donors’ ability to give meaningful gifts regularly, and manage their philanthropic resources with ease and confidence. Further, all of our charity partners are vetted, ensuring their gift will always be used efficiently, and as intended.
Donors have a full range of giving options including donor-advised funds, stocks, qualified charitable deductions from IRAs, crypto and cash donations. Corporate and foundation grants are welcome. United Airlines miles can also be donated. Employee payroll deductions can be made through the CFC and Benevity. Gifts can be made through our website, please note Philanthropy Roundtable in the comment.
