Hurricane Relief Stories - Part 1- Microsoft Across America

Last week was a sad one.  Horrible storm.  Horrible flooding.  Horrible people taking advantage of both.  Devastated neighborhoods, cities, and lives.

Yet out of the worst tragedies often come the best, most encouraging stories about people and their willingness to help others.

I’m proud to work for a company that has both the will and the resources to help in these situations.  At Microsoft we have a great internal web site dedicated to giving, and naturally right now the relief for hurricane Katrina victims is top on the list. 

And even beyond that, my team at Microsoft (internally known as the Seminar Sales Team, and externally you see us as “Microsoft Across America”) has… shall we say.. “detoured” some valuable assets in order to help in the hurricane relief efforts.

That’s right! We’re sending in the trucks!

Three of our Microsoft Across America “Mobile Experience” trucks are heading to our home base in Dallas so we can off-load the un-needed AV equipment and event supplies, and loading them up with food and water.  Then we’re sending them east to help out the Red Cross as mobile communication / command centers.  These trucks have Satellite internet access, with WiFi, so they’ll be quite useful in helping currntly disconnected people get in touch with their families to let them know they’re okay. 

So… I’m not going to have one of these trucks parked outside of my events in Des Moines and Minneapolis in a few weeks… and I’m extremely PROUD of the reason why!

(UPDATE: Here's the Microsoft Across America Program Manager's blog, with stories and photos coming right from the folks who man the trucks.)