If you’re like me, when you hear about a natural disaster, you want to do something to help. Of course, donating money to a relief cause even if you’re thousands of miles away and live in a different country, is always an option. But it’s great when you can do more than just open your wallet.

So I was really proud to learn how our ServiceNow technology was used last year by one of our customers to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey. Now, you might be wondering, “What does this natural disaster have to do with ServiceNow?” Well, as we’ve found quite often from our customers, our platform can be used to benefit organizations and employees in ways we never imagined.

On September 1, 2017, when Hurricane Harvey was at its peak, one-third of Houston, Texas was under water. It would end up being one of the worst natural disasters in North American history. Over 80 people lost their lives and many more suffered physical injuries. Thousands of families experienced billions of dollars in damages to their property and personal possessions, not to mention the emotional toll that can’t be quantified.¹

CHRISTUS Health is a ServiceNow customer with hospitals throughout Texas and Louisiana. In the aftermath of the hurricane,  CHRISTUS leadership knew many of their employees needed assistance. Within 24 hours, the company was able to set up its ServiceNow® HR Service Delivery portal with electronic forms that allowed employees across CHRISTUS to donate money to a relief fund and even to give their PTO (paid time off) hours to fellow staff members affected by the storm.

Because mobile access is built right into the HR portal, employees in hard-hit areas could just reach for their phones and apply for assistance from these programs. This capability was central to the success of the CHRISTUS relief effort because many of those in the areas affected by the hurricane did not have access to a computer. Also, they were able to use the portal as a way to regularly update and send messages to employees throughout the company.

This is an extraordinary example of how CHRISTUS—using ServiceNow—was able to go beyond providing great employee experiences at work. They were able to help provide their employees, and their families personal support through extremely difficult times. I’m proud that ServiceNow technology was used to helped those affected by the hurricane, even if it was in only in one small way.

Interested in reading more about CHRISTUS and Hurricane Harvey, check out “Not Just Any Portal in a Storm.”

[Watch video] CHRISTUS Health’s Debbie Arnold discuss how ServiceNow benefits her co-workers.

¹ https://www.thebalance.com/hurricane-harvey-facts-damage-costs-4150087