Minnesotans show up! Over the 40 years Alight has existed, we’ve always been able to count on Minnesotans in times of emergencies. Here’s 6 times when Minnesotans had our backs – and lives were saved and changed as a result.

1) Indian Ocean Tsunami – 2004/5

The Tsunami hit the day after Christmas 2004, and Minnesotans answered the call right away helping Alight send response teams to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. And thanks to Minnesotans, our Fishing Boat Project provided replacement boats to hundreds of fishermen, helping them get back to work supporting their families.

2) Kosovo – 1999

War broke out in Kosovo in 1998, and civilians were targeted and forced to flee. Thousands of Minnesotans responded, allowing Alight teams in the region to get boots on-the-ground. Even after our initial emergency response, funds raised allowed our teams to help families rehabilitate their homes and restart their livelihoods.

3) Hurricane Katrina – 2005

Alight led a coalition of Minnesota organizations – the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, and St. Catherine University – in Operation Minnesota Lifeline, traveling with a corps of volunteers to Louisiana and providing medical assistance and other support to families who had been displaced in the disaster. Minnesotans who couldn’t join the operation supported with generous financial contributions.

4) COVID-19 – 2020

We’re still in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, but Minnesotans responded early allowing us to get PPEs for our teams and reach more than 100 million people with lifesaving information about the virus. And support from Minnesotans will help us continue fighting this pandemic to its end.

5) Somalia Famine – 2011

Churches, school groups, companies and individuals from across Minnesota stood alongside their Somali neighbors to provide famine relief in Somalia and shine a light on a culture of poets, artists, mothers and fathers, children, innovators, farmers, businesspeople…human beings, through the I AM A STAR for Somalia campaign.

6) SE Asia Refugee Crisis –

Alight’s first emergency response in the late 1970s and early 1980s saw Minnesota legends Dr. Steve Miles, Dr. Pat Walker and many other medical professionals volunteer in Thailand and Cambodia – providing assistance to families fleeing conflict. Many of the families they served there have subsequently resettled to Minnesota.