Groups creates ‘survival’ digital wallets for those in US recovering from disaster

A mission-specific blockchain wallet – for people who have survived a disaster — has been launched with funding from the American Red Cross.

The Kare “survival” wallet was created by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, the Disaster Services Corporation Society of St. Vincent DePaul USA and the Algorand Foundation.

The intent is to make sending money to people in desperate environments and no resources rapidly but securely.

Algorand‘s blockchain infrastructure supports the digital wallet, which was developed with AID:Tech, a Singapore software firm merging identity and payments functions.

Disaster Services focuses its resources on helping people recover from natural and man-made disasters.

Ten million volunteers in the United States are in National Voluntary Organizations and they interact with 130 state and national disaster relief organizations.

Families, comparatively few in number, in need are referred by Disaster Services. The companies say they plan to be helping hundreds of families by about June.

“With the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters, we are not only looking for ways to incrementally improve our ability to respond and recover, but we are investing in breakthrough solutions that could leapfrog current methods,” Trevor Riggen, a president with Red Cross, says in a statement.

Article Topics

AID:Tech  |  Algorand Foundation  |  blockchain  |  digital ID infrastructure  |  digital wallets  |  humanitarian  |  Red Cross