Amy Sins, Founder and Executive Director of Fill the Needs, will represent the Louisiana-based disaster relief nonprofit at the United Nations Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 6, 2025. Sins, who describes her early disaster work as that of a "rogue do-gooder" following Hurricane Katrina, spent years leading missions before formalizing Fill the Needs as a nonprofit in 2022. She will present on building trust networks and share lessons from nearly two decades of hands-on disaster coordination. Fill the Needs has become internationally recognized for its SPARK framework—a grassroots approach that empowers local leaders and leverages community networks for rapid, effective disaster response. The organization's impact includes facilitating over 100,000 meals during Louisiana floods, coordinating a 747 cargo plane of supplies for Maui wildfire relief, mobilizing more than 60 organizations for Hurricane Ian response in Florida, and providing flood training in Ukraine after the Kakhovka Dam breach. The UN invitation highlights the growing recognition of trust-based, community-led disaster relief models. Sins' participation will spotlight how Fill the Needs transforms community compassion into coordinated action, demonstrating the power of local connections in disaster recovery.
METAIRIE, La., June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Fill the Needs, a Louisiana-based nonprofit known for transforming community compassion into coordinated disaster response, will take the global stage this June. The United Nations Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025) in Geneva, Switzerland, has invited Founder and Executive Director Amy Sins to speak, highlighting the growing international recognition of grassroots, community-based disaster response models.
Sins' presentation, "Building Trust Networks: How Crisis Partnerships Transform Disaster Response," will be delivered on June 6 at 1:50 PM, on the Ignite Stage. Sharing lessons from nearly two decades of hands-on disaster coordination—beginning as a self-described rogue do-gooder after Hurricane Katrina and evolving into the global work of Fill the Needs. "This moment isn't just about sharing what we've done. It's about showing what's possible when communities lead," said Sins. "The future of disaster relief is trust-based, collaborative networks."
Filling the Gaps When It Matters Most
Sins created the SPARK framework—Stop & Evaluate, Prioritize, Assess Assets, Realistic Roadmap, Krewe—to structure chaotic early disaster moments. Today, Fill the Needs uses this model to guide its response efforts and shares it with partner organizations as a replicable framework for grassroots coordination.
From hurricane response in New Orleans to wildfire relief in Maui, flood response in Ukraine, and hurricane aid in Florida, Fill the Needs has coordinated logistics, volunteers, and supplies to meet urgent needs in rapidly changing conditions.
The UN speaking invitation underscores the value of Fill the Needs' community-centered approach, which identifies and supports local leaders and connectors, leveraging their knowledge and networks rather than deploying large external teams.
Built-in Louisiana, Impacting the World
Based in Metairie, Louisiana, Fill the Needs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to rapid deployment, long-term recovery, and training for future resilience. The organization's work spans disaster logistics, mental health support, satellite mapping, capacity-building workshops, and support for international partners.
"We've built a model that scales because it starts with relationships," Sins said. "It's not about being the biggest. It's about being fast, smart, and deeply connected to the people who know their communities best."
Since formalizing as a nonprofit in 2022, Fill the Needs has launched missions across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands, applying its trust-based coordination model in diverse disaster contexts.
Fill the Needs Impact Highlights:
- 100,000+ meals facilitated during the 2016 Louisiana floods, along with thousands of sandwiches, 30,000 diapers, and an 18-wheeler of cleaning supplies through collaboration with nonprofits, volunteers, restaurants, and local businesses
- 60+ organizations mobilized for Hurricane Ian relief in Florida; Fill the Needs directly logged over 2,200 volunteer hours in just 2.5 weeks
- Volunteer flood training provided in Ukraine after the Kakhovka Dam breach, offering insights on rescue, response, recovery, mold remediation, and anticipated challenges such as water and soil quality
- 747 cargo plane of requested supplies coordinated during the Maui wildfires, loaded in Las Vegas, and delivered to island partners—every item matched to specific needs through a 30+ organization collaboration
- Active missions supporting communities affected by Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and California wildfires
About the UN Global Platform
The UN Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, hosted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), convenes every two years and serves as the world's primary forum for assessing progress on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The 2025 session will focus on the theme: "Every Day Counts – Act for Resilience Today."
Conference Details:
Amy Sins' Presentation: June 6, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Event: United Nations Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025)
Stage:Ignite Stage
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Conference Dates: June 2–6, 2025
Media Contact:
Amy Sins, Founder & Executive Director Fill the Needs
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.filltheneeds.org
Facebook: @filltheneedsorg
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/fill-the-needs
About Fill the Needs:
Fill the Needs is a nonprofit disaster relief organization based in Louisiana, specializing in rapid response within the first 14 days of a crisis and sustained recovery support thereafter. The organization brings together volunteers, nonprofits, businesses, and local leaders to deliver timely, targeted aid through trust-based networks that turn individual compassion into coordinated community response.
Media Contact
Amy Sins, Fill the Needs, 1 5046164089, [email protected], www.filltheneeds.org
SOURCE Fill the Needs
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