San Diego, California—October 27,
2007—Pangea
Foundation, one of the nation’s leading Software-as-a-Service providers to nonprofits, announced the launch of a Web application today that
will facilitate the communication of disaster relief and recovery information
to thousands of people whose lives are being affected by the California
wildfires. The Web application, provided by Pangea Foundation to 211 San Diego,
is the cornerstone of a disaster relief and recovery effort involving many of
San Diego County’s most vital community resources. The software strives to
provide staff and volunteers of 211 San Diego with up-to-the second information
that can be communicated to people who are victims of the wildfires so they can
begin to find relief and ultimately rebuild their lives.
211 San
Diego is San Diego County’s comprehensive provider of community information and
referral. Born out of the United Way of San Diego County, 211 San Diego is a
registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In March of 2005, 211 San Diego
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the San Diego County Office of
Emergency Services identifying 211 San Diego’s role as a key communications resource
during times of disaster. When a disaster strikes, 211 San Diego connects
people to information, relief, and recovery resources.
As a result of the wildfires, more
than one million people throughout Southern California were evacuated from
their homes. It is estimated that 1,588 homes were destroyed throughout San
Diego County. Another 320 residences were damaged. More than 8,300 firefighters
from several states were assigned to the effort.
Pangea Foundation offered to commit
both the people and resources to 211 San Diego—on a pro-bono basis—that would
help the organization more efficiently and effectively manage the crisis.
“The need was of an urgent nature so
it was imperative for us to come together as an organization and act quickly,”
says Pangea Foundation CEO Kraig Kuipers. “The software we launched today is
vitally important to the efforts being made by 211 San Diego to communicate
disaster relief and recovery information to thousands and thousands of people
whose lives have been turned upside down by the wildfires.”
Pangea Foundation designed a custom
database-driven Web application that took content from a variety of areas,
including road closures, evacuation routes, emergency shelters, repopulation
zones, hospital information, and other vital community resources and made this
information available the very second there was an update. The software also
tracked and reported the nature of the 211 calls to give local leaders insight
into the community’s most vital information needs.
“Using software donated by Microsoft,
we created a content management Web application that enabled the team at 211
San Diego to quickly input updated information directly into the application,”
says Kristin Kuipers, Founder and Director of Programs, Pangea Foundation. “Call
operators were then able to access the system to view and communicate emergency
updates to callers in real-time, rather than providing them with information
that could potentially be two hours old.” Kuipers went on to say, “Two hours
may not sound like a lot of time, but if you are trapped with your family in a
fire zone and you are desperately seeking an evacuation route that provides the
fastest and surest way to safety, a few minutes can make all the difference in
the world.”
About Pangea Foundation
Pangea Foundation is the Nonprofit Impact Reporting
Specialist™. Founded in 1996, we are an
award winning nonprofit organization based in
San Diego, California. Pangea Foundation equips
data-driven nonprofits across America with intuitive,
secure, and easy-to-use Web applications that
help organizations visualize and communicate the
impact of their programs. We spark support movements
for America’s most respected nonprofits
using Impact Visualization—a compelling
way to engage evidence-based funders and the public
by fusing real-time statistical program results
with advanced data visualization technologies.
What we deliver is Impact Visualization On Demand™.
Our real-time Web applications transform static
data into eye-catching graphical pictures and
visual analytics to help you communicate program
impact with clarity. To learn more, visit www.pangeafoundation.org,
or call us toll free at 1-866-615-0982.
About 211 San Diego
211 San
Diego is San Diego County’s comprehensive provider of community information and
referral. Born out of the United Way of San Diego County, 211 San Diego is a
registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In March of 2005, 211 San Diego
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the San Diego County Office of
Emergency Services identifying 211 San Diego’s role as a key communications resource
during times of disaster. When a disaster strikes, 211 San Diego connects
people to information, relief, and recovery resources.
