Friendships 
http://www.friendships.org/
A brilliant and constantly developing concept has been brainstormed in the States. A former country-club manager and his wife have set up a small fleet of 4 or so ocean-going vessels to answer emergency calls for humanitarian assistance internationally.
Huge warehouses stockpile donated equipment and supplies in readiness for such emergencies. A wonderful partnership has formed between the business world and the Friendships organisation. Freight operators too have "come to the party" offering their services without charge for such an admirable venture.
Even the vessels themselves have been acquired with minimum expenditure and the crews are all volunteers. Of course, the infrastructure for such an operation is considerable and all kinds of folk with innumerable skills, or just "willing hands", are actively involved and constantly being recruited.
Check out the site above and explore possible ways to become involved with this creative initiative.
Read about the Friendships involvement in Haiti.... http://www.friendships.org/LatestProjects.html
Remember to check out the Short-on-ideas blog page
