The Kare Survivor Wallet uses the Algorand blockchain to securely issue vouchers, gift cards and other types of aid from companies like Walmart, the Home Depot, Amazon, and more
Today, the Algorand Foundation and AID:Tech announced that hundreds of Americans recovering from severe weather in Florida and Mississippi have received more than $50,000 in near-instant, cash-based aid as part of disaster relief efforts this year by the American Response and Resiliency Program (ARRP). The program is run by the Disaster Services Corporation Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA and the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
The average time from application to receiving aid for the families was as little as fifteen minutes. No blockchain knowledge was required - the aid (in the form of vouchers, gift cards, or digital debit cards) was easily and securely delivered via a mobile phone app (the Kare Survivor Wallet). Affected residents could easily apply for the aid through the app, receiving approval the same day, followed within a few minutes by digital gift cards and vouchers that could be used to purchase essential supplies.
“Using the Kare App, DSC is able to quickly provide the most vulnerable survivors with immediate financial assistance. This app is life-changing for survivors who may have evacuated from their homes or are living in temporary housing. We are so very honored to be a part of this exciting new digital resource for disaster relief and recovery,” said Elizabeth Disco-Shearer, CEO of DSC.
“Our Kare platform leverages blockchain to and Digital Identity to provide a secure and scalable solution for disaster relief, insurance payouts, and climate-related disbursements. The recent hurricanes are just one example of how severe weather can cause billions of dollars worth of damage and affect millions of people. So by enabling fast, transparent, and verifiable transactions, we ensure that funds reach those in need quickly and securely, with full accountability. It’s an honor to deploy our technology as a way to improve people's lives quickly, when they need it most,” said Joseph Thompson, CEO of AID:Tech.
“We’re proud that the disaster relief community in the United States is leveraging the Algorand blockchain for the delivery of relief in a fast, efficient, and transparent manner. Central to this is that a decentralized identity will be created for each survivor that can be used for multiple disasters across multiple agencies. That, combined with the immutability and transparency of the data, ensures that no aid will be duplicated or unnecessarily wasted. This is a game-changer in the world of disaster relief,” said Matt Keller, Director of Impact at the Algorand Foundation.
About the aid process:
ARRP’s founding organizations have used the Kare platform since 2023 to distribute aid in the aftermath of natural disasters, including to families in Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida (including in response to Hurricane Ian in 2022), Kentucky (for the destructive tornadoes of 2021 and 2024), Louisiana (for Hurricane Ida), and Mississippi (for its devastating 2023 tornadoes), among other locations.
The aid is securely delivered to recipients via the Kare Survivor Wallet phone app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store), which is built on the enterprise-grade Algorand (ALGO) blockchain by technology company AID:Tech.
Why relief organizations like ARRP use the Kare Survivor Wallet:
- The Kare platform delivers aid quickly. The speed and efficiency of the Algorand blockchain means aid can be confirmed and, in the case of digital payments and stablecoins, delivered same-day (a vast improvement over a process that could take weeks or months).
- The Kare platform is versatile and helpful in all disaster and aid situations. The platform allows for personalization of profiles and aid so organizations can provide specific, customized support. Relief organizations can easily manage their aid programs through the online portal.
- The Kare platform is easy for survivors to use. Eligible survivors can apply for assistance via the Kare wallet on their smartphone and receive aid within minutes. This helps ensure that everyone affected can quickly apply for and receive benefits and services and specifically benefits those with diverse needs, including those without transportation or unable to rely fully on government channels. The digital cash-based aid received through the Kare Wallet can also be used in Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- The Kare platform is protected against aid fraud. By relying on trusted gift cards from organizations like Walmart, relief organizations can provide genuine assistance through the Kare wallet. Each wallet undergoes rigorous Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks to ensure the legitimacy and security of the assistance provided, fostering trust and reliability in the relief process.
- The Kare platform protects personal, private data. Because it is built on the enterprise-grade Algorand blockchain, the Kare platform can save recipient data without putting it at risk of exploitation by storing it as a secure, decentralized digital identity. By signing up with Kare’s platform once, recipients can easily receive aid in the future from other organizations without delay.
- The Kare platform distributes cash-based assistance as well as physical aid. Cash-based assistance is a form of aid that maintains survivors’ privacy and dignity after a traumatic event, and on the Algorand blockchain, this can be distributed securely. The secure digital identity also allows relief organizations to safely distribute physical aid (such as household goods) to survivors.
About Kare Survivor Wallet and AID:Tech
The Kare Survivor Wallet is an app that seamlessly delivers assistance which includes payouts, vouchers, cash and stablecoins to those in need. The Algorand blockchain-based wallet and platform was created by AID:Tech. The mission of AID:Tech is to bring traceability & transparency to the flow of funds for governments, NGOs & charities; since its founding in 2015, it has distributed more than $300 million in assistance. AID:Tech has worked with leading enterprises such as VISA, Mastercard, Amazon, Walmart, and The Home Depot to make diverse types of aid available for distribution by charities, including DSC/NVOAD, the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Islamic Relief, and the Salvation Army. With Kare, survivors can receive vouchers, digital gift cards, and virtual debit cards as well as physical products.
About Disaster Services Corporation Society of St Vincent de Paul
The Disaster Services Corporation - Society of St. Vincent de Paul, USA (DSC) stands as a Catholic lay organization with a resolute mission: to guide individuals facing situational poverty resulting from both natural and man-made disasters towards reclaiming their lives. At DSC, we are dedicated to fostering change by embedding equity into every facet of emergency management. Our mission centers on humanity, with a vision that empowers marginalized communities throughout all stages of the disaster management cycle. We are committed to developing and implementing innovative, community-based programs and adaptive projects designed to enhance resilience in diverse, vulnerable, and underserved populations. By prioritizing equity, we strive to build stronger, more resilient communities that can effectively withstand and recover from disasters. For more information, please visit http://www.svdpdisaster.org or contact Kevin Peach at kpeach@svpdisaster.org
About National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and ARRP
NVOAD, an association of organizations that mitigate and alleviate the impact of disasters, provides a forum to promote cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration; and to foster effective delivery of services to communities affected by disaster. The National VOAD coalition includes 76 of the country's most reputable national organizations (faith-based, community-based and other non- governmental organizations) and 56 State/Territory VOADs, which represent millions of volunteers across the nation and thousands of other local/regional VOAD member organizations throughout the country. In 2024, the Disaster Services Corporation Society of St. Vincent de Paul (DSC) and NVOAD announced the American Response and Resiliency Program (ARRP). The first of its kind, the ARRP program was developed to rapidly meet the needs of disaster survivors, providing access and equity to all seeking relief.
About the Algorand Foundation
Algorand’s mission is to power a world where information has integrity and innovative ideas can scale. The Algorand Foundation supports Algorand’s rapidly growing ecosystem by providing a best-in-class developer environment, supporting key infrastructure and setting technical standards, offering comprehensive support to builders and entrepreneurs, and providing the framework for decentralized governance. The Algorand (ALGO) blockchain has grown into a vibrant ecosystem of developers, entrepreneurs, and enterprise partners that benefit from institutional-grade certainty and resilience. Its low fees, instant finality, and minimal carbon footprint appeal to the protocol's millions of retail users, and developers of all kinds appreciate the ability to use common programming languages like Python. Builders on Algorand are creating protocols and companies that solve important problems at a global scale: instant payments in war and disaster zones, self-sovereign identity for the disenfranchised, supply-chain traceability for global commerce, permissionless protocols addressing financial inclusion, and the creation of entirely new markets through tokenization, to name a few. To learn more and start your journey on Algorand, visit algorand.co.
Contact: press@algorand.co