Melbourne, FL A new communications tool that will help to connect Abaco residents, visitors and customers with open and operating businesses and service providers in the northern Abaco Islands was launched today and will remain online throughout the recovery period.
AbacoUp.com is a website that offers an easy-to-use search tool for finding information about open or closed status of businesses, updated contact information, and current hours of operation. Site visitors can search by Cay or by business type, or they can type in the name of a specific business to check its status. While the first launch of AbacoUp.com contains mostly businesses with a physical location, the next round of updates will also include names and contact information for local residents who have lodging, boats, cars, or other critically important resources available for rent or hire.
The second round of updates, which are expected to begin during the first week of February, will also provide information that can connect Bahamian workers with homeowners who are seeking assistance as they rebuild.
AbacoUp.com was developed by a Florida-based public relations company, The Waite Company, in response to the growing communications challenges about available resources in the affected areas.
“The Northern Abaco Islands are relying on Facebook, whiteboards, and word of mouth to get out information about what’s open, and what isn’t. It’s making the recovery more difficult than it needs to be for people,” said Whitney Waite, President of the Waite Company. “We wanted to help.”
Matt Kennicott, Vice President of Communications for the Waite Company, is FEMA-trained in emergency communications and has been volunteering in the recovery effort since the first days after the storm hit. He has made several trips to Treasure Cay, collecting video stories of survivors and working with the Treasure Cay Community Foundation and the North Abaco Recovery Initiative (NARI) to distribute recovery updates. Kennicott is overseeing the AbacoUp.com project.
“We have several staff working on the website design and confirming and updating the information we upload,” said Kennicott. “We are strongly encouraging anyone that is either in business in the area, or has resources that they can rent, to send us their information so that we can post it. If you live in the area and are available for work, please let us know. People looking to hire you may find you on the website.”
“Structural recovery is obviously the most important thing in the short term, but now, the focus really needs to include economic recovery as well,” said Kennicott. “We have high hopes that AbacoUp.com can assist with this.”
To submit information for AbacoUp.com, email
