Leadership – TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®

December 12, 2022January 9, 2023 Movers Who Blog Leadership

Celebrating 2022 and another big year of giving back for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK brand

You see us talk about it often, but it’s no secret that at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, we pride ourselves on being more than just movers.

Giving back is essential to who we are and what we, and from the very beginning, we’ve made it known in the communities where we live and work that we’ll utilize our moving resources for good and do what we can to make a positive impact. This mindset was instilled by Founder Mary Ellen Sheets and has lived on for almost 40 years!

Whether it’s through our own giving campaigns like Movers for Moms®, Movers for Mutts®, Movers for Military®, Movers for Meals®, or Truckload of Warmth®, or through partnerships with wonderful groups like Cheeriodicals and Convoy of Hope, we do what we can to make a difference to those in need.

2022 was another big year of giving back for our brand and so many different people who work with us were able to get out there and do positive, impactful work outside of their normal job responsibilities. We wanted to reflect on some of the best moments from the year and revisit some of our best giving back efforts.

Enjoy!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

January 14, 2019February 4, 2019 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Leadership, News, Organizing, Our People, Tips and Tricks, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations continue their mission of giving back year-round

–Written by Erik Sargent

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is focused on giving back in any and every way possible, and that doesn’t stop with our moving services.

As our company has evolved over the years, so have the ways we’ve been able to deliver to our communities and make an impact as our teams and resources grow. This is especially true with our charitable efforts, which took a big step when we developed four of our own charitable programs during the fall months.

These four programs – Movers for Meals®, Movers for Mutts, Movers for Military®, and Truckload of Warmth – have become a staple at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchises all across the country, with each having the ability to choose the one that fits their franchise the best. Fall 2018 was another big year in giving back through these four programs, and the team members at our franchise locations were more than happy to help out in their communities!

“This year was our first annual Movers for Mutts campaign, and we feel that it went really well,” said Stephanie Mills, marketing and communications director for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Huntsville, Ala., location. “We worked with pet food and supplies stores, storage units, apartment complexes, skate parks, hardware stores, banks, juice bars, veterinarians, local hospital departments, and more. Many of the businesses we worked with were already established contacts of our beneficiary or our company who were more than happy to be a drop off location for Movers for Mutts.”

Working with such a large number of collection partners, Mills and the Huntsville location were able to help spread the word of Movers for Mutts throughout the area, and it showed in the amount of items they collected.

“We feel it went extremely well overall,” Mills said. “It got the word out in our community about animals who don’t have homes yet. We had a large number of people wanting to be involved in the campaign, whether that meant getting the word out via social media, being a collection site, or donating. Just this year alone, we were able to collect more than 1,300 items for the local animal rescue center, A New Leash On Life. It was a huge success in our books.”

For our TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Southeast locations, they chose to run Movers for Military this fall, as they felt it was important to give back to the veterans in their community and show appreciation for all of the hard work done by the brave men and women in our military.

With a number of employees having their own military background, it was a natural fit for their teams.

“It was a good fit because we employ veterans at each of our locations,” said Charlene Bush, marketing manager for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Ann Arbor, Brighton, Brownstown, and Oakland Southwest locations. “Some of our longest tenured full-time movers and drivers are veterans, and we wanted to be able to give back and show our appreciation.”

Three of the four TWO MEN AND A TRUCK campaigns were able to put up big numbers for the fall of 2018. Movers for Meals had 7,100 items collected and an astounding $20,636 in food donations and vouchers. Movers for Mutts had 8,000 items collected across the country, and Movers for Military collected 5,000 items that were able to be distributed to veterans in need.

It’s an effective and easy way for us to give back to the people who have made this company possible, and for each of our franchise locations, it will continue to be a priority moving forward in 2019.

“I am passionate about giving back to and supporting the people in our communities because it embodies our core values and our mission,” Bush said. “We are the ‘Movers Who Care®’. We need to live that out, and it needs to be a part of our culture. I believe that it builds trust within an organization, as well as a community for people to see TWO MEN AND A TRUCK helping and lending that community support.”

November 12, 2018December 3, 2018 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Hiring Professional Movers, Holiday Fun, Leadership, News, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®’s Movers for Military program puts essential care items in the hands of veterans

-Written by Erik Sargent

With the month of November upon us and Veteran’s Day just wrapping up, it’s important to recognize the sacrifices our veterans have made for this country, and to help the ones in need.

The unfortunate reality for the brave men and women who fight for this country is that when some of them return home, it’s not always a welcoming time. Many struggle with finding employment or homelessness, creating a harrowing situation.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is a company built around the hard work of many veterans, and we’ve made it a point as a company to help give back to these individuals through our Movers for Military campaign, which many TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchises choose to run each fall.

Franchise locations partner with local schools, business, organizations, and shelters to set up collection sites where people can donate essential care items that are delivered to veteran shelters around the community. It’s a good way for us to put our moving resources to use, and allows the community to come together and help those who need it the most.

“I think Movers for Military is a good fit at our franchise because we are located in a community that heavily supports and endorses our troops, both past and present,” said Kayla Emond, marketing coordinator at the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Portland, Maine location. “The program is important to our community because our partner, Preble Street Veterans Housing, serves veterans all over the state of Maine, where there’s nearly 400 a year who face housing insecurity or homelessness. It’s important to not only recognize but also support those who gave so much to protect this country and our freedoms.”

Emond and the Portland franchise held two community events where they set up collection sites this fall, with the first being held at a Maine Mariner’s hockey game, and the other at the local Island Dog Brewing, where there was Halloween party and 20% of all beer sales were donated to the Movers for Military campaign.

It was a great way to get TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s cause out there, and the community really came together to support the program.

“The response we saw about the program was overwhelming,” said Emond. “People loved sharing stories with us about the veterans in their lives and praising us for hosting a program that gives back to veterans. I can’t even tell you how many people came up to us with excitement that they saw our trucks around their neighborhoods.”

For the four TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Southeast Michigan locations – Ann Arbor, Brighton, Brownstown, and Oakland Southwest – they also ran the Movers for Military program this fall, and felt like it was a good fit for their team.

“Both myself and Franchisee Alan Oversmith come from military families, so we are both very passionate about this campaign,” said Charlene Bush, marketing manager for all four TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Southeast Michigan locations. “In addition, we have several veterans that now work at each of our locations as movers or drivers. This campaign is a great way to both honor them and show our appreciation for their service to our country.”

Bush and her locations partnered with the Livingston County Service Agency, Downriver for Veterans, Michigan Ability Partners, and Vets Returning home to run “stuff a truck” events around their communities.

The events were held at two Walmart locations and two Kroger locations, and gave people the chance to stop by and donate their items. It also was a good way for the movers and drivers at the franchises to get involved and help out in the community.

“Our movers and drivers love helping with the different campaigns we run, so I get a ton of support from both management and our frontline staff,” Bush said. “I was very pleased with each campaign and the amount of donations we were able to deliver.”

The events received a phenomenal response from the community, and even led to some great stories like that of a young girl who donated her birthday money to buy items that could be donated to veterans, showing just how involved these campaigns can be and the difference they can make.

“I think it is important to participate in these campaigns because it is important to help build and support the community we live and work in, and to be a part of something bigger,” Bush said. “I also feel that people are more apt to trust a company they see giving back, and people tend to do business with people they trust.”

To learn more about Movers for Military and to find out how you can get involved with future campaigns through TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, click here.

October 29, 2018November 19, 2018 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Leadership, Newsroom, Organizing, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

Food banks distribute meals and food options to end hunger across America

–Written by Erik Sargent

Having a reliable food source and knowing where your next meal is coming from is something that many people in this country take for granted, but unfortunately, it’s not always the case for a large number of individuals across the U.S.

Hunger is an issue that continues to affect many people right here in our own country. Due to a variety of factors that can come into play, many adults – and especially children – are left to live day-by-day being unsure if they can eat, and often failing to receive the proper nutrition to maintain a healthy diet. It’s an ongoing issue, and one that organizations like the North Texas Food Bank strive to solve.

The North Texas Foodbank was founded in 1982 with the sole purpose of providing the residents of the greater Northern Texas area access to nutritious food. With such a high number of people in the area, it can be a daunting task.

“Our mission is to close the hunger gap in North Texas by providing access to nutritious food,” said Lexi Kay, the annual campaign manager for the North Texas Food Bank. “Currently, there are more than 800,000 people – which includes 300,000 children – who are currently facing food insecurity. Food insecurity means that they don’t always know where their next healthy meal will come from.”

NTFB is able to cover a 13-county service area in North Texas, providing more than 190,000 meals each day through various locations and through their new distribution center. Just last year alone, NFTB was able to provide people access to nearly 72 million meals, and their goal by 2025 is to be able to provide 92 million meals in the year.

How does an organization like NTFB – which is a nonprofit – receive the necessary resources to make this goal a reality?

“We work with a network of over 200 partner agencies,” Kay said. “These partner agencies typically have a food pantry within their organization, so that’s really how we are getting the food out to those in need. We’re pretty much receiving either donated food, purchased food, or different kinds of food provided by the government and we provide it where it’s needed the most. Without these partner agencies, we would not be able to meet hunger demand we see. These partnerships are very critical to what we do here.”

To match their partnerships with various organizations, NTFB was able to open a new, state-of-the-art distribution center which allows them to operate at an even higher level and put more meals in peoples’ hands across North Texas.

“Since we’ve seen such an increased need for food here in our community, we’ve recently opened our new distribution center in Plano, Texas,” Kay said. “It’s very exciting. It’s three times the size of our prior distribution center, and it’s centrally located within our service area which allows for more engagement with business, volunteer’s, donors, and helps us meet the needs of the area.”

A big part of what NTFB does is not just getting food in people’s hands, but providing access to healthy food to make the process worthwhile.

Their organization allows members of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to have access to all NTFB resources, and they set up pantries with healthy food options to make sure people are maintain – and having the options – for a nutritious diet.

“One of our pantries that we run is called ‘Our Community Pantry’, and we set it up as a client-choice pantry, which means that clients can come in and choose what they want to take home with them when shopping for groceries,” Kay said. “It’s set up just like a grocery store, and the clients come in and have a cart and volunteers help them shop for what they need.”

Giving back

Tackling the ongoing issue of hunger takes more than just one organization, and it’s important for as many hands as possible to get involved in making a difference. One company that has put their resources to good use with this issue is the international moving company, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®.

For more than 30 years, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has made it a point to donate their trucks and moving resources to all types of charitable causes. One campaign they developed on their own, Movers for Meals®, specifically deals with people facing hunger. The company partners with various organizations to help deliver and pickup food and other items and deliver them where needed, taking some of the pressure off food banks who are working to distribute meals.

The TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Lansing location ran Movers for Meals during the month of October, partnering with local businesses in the area like MSUFCU, Tutor Time, WLNS, and McLaren of Greater Lansing to gather donated, non-perishable food items for families in need.

“The response from the organizations was a surprise,” said Laura Larson, the marketing coordinator for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Lansing. “We couldn’t have imaged how strong and supportive they have been with this project, especially since we have done other charities in the past with these organizations helping us. These organizations match our compassion and love for our community, and it is amazing to be partnered with them this year for Movers for Meals.”

This kind of work fits in with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s list of company core values, and for the Lansing franchise, it was a no-brainer getting involved and helping.

“In Michigan alone, one out of seven people go hungry and of those, one out of four are children,” Larson said. “It takes a village to raise a child and when that child is hungry and in need, we all need to get involved. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Lansing strives each and every day to make a difference in our community, and that means making sure that we can stop the one out of seven people going hungry. This program strongly fits into our core values and what we stand for.”

Help make a difference

As with any charitable cause, the work of the organization only goes so far – it’s up to the help of everyone to make sure the needs and goals of a certain area are met.

“In order for us to do what we do, we really rely on donations,” Kay said. “A lot of our donations come from corporations, individuals, grants – that’s really where our funding comes from, and it’s what helps us operate.”

More than just cash donations and grants, one of the best things that can make a difference is people getting out and helping by volunteering their time.

“At least for us here, we are striving to have individuals come to our new facility and to see what it looks like and hear more about our mission,” Kay said. “We’re always looking for volunteers – they help us pack a lot of the food that goes out, so they are critically needed. We are always looking for advocates, too. People to use their voice to tell elected officials that there is hunger in the community.”

To find out more about the North Texas Food Bank and how you can get involved, visit their website here. To learn more about TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s charitable programs, click here.

September 4, 2018January 14, 2019 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Leadership, Moving, News, Organizing, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchises gearing up to give back this fall through charitable campaigns

-Written by Caitlyn Laidler

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, we live by the core value of giving back to the communities where we live and work. Locations across the country donate countless hours each year to a variety of charities, including Toys for Tots, United Way, Habitat for Humanity and more. In 2017 alone, our franchises donated more than $3 million worth of moving services.

In addition to working with charitable programs year-round, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations also incorporate our own community support programs in their local communities.

Each fall our franchisees gear up for various campaigns, such as Movers for Military, Movers for Meals®, Movers for Mutts® and Truckload of Warmth. The goal is for each franchise to get involved in their communities and make a difference — with more than 300 franchises operating in 43 states, our system has the ability to leave a nationwide impact starting at the local level!

The campaigns:

–Movers for Military: A fall collection drive created to show support for the brave men and women who sacrificed to protect our freedoms.

–Movers for Meals: Created to support families in the community facing hunger by partnering with schools, business, food pantries, and local shelters to collect non-perishable food items.

–Movers for Mutts: Created to raise donations for local shelters who care for and foster stray animals

–Truckload of Warmth: A collection drive for new and gently used winter clothing, such as coats, hats, gloves, and scarves.

Each of these programs are designed to raise awareness of a certain issue families and individuals are facing across the country. In response, we generate community involvement and support through the simple act of donating to those in-need.

“This year, we decided to do Movers for Military, as it is more personal for our franchise,” said Janelle Ishman, marketing manager for four Greater Philadelphia area franchises, who partnered with Operation Yellow Ribbon in southern New Jersey to run their campaign. “We have an operations manager who previous served, and have hired other military members. We like to give back to the community, especially our veterans.”

Charlene Bush, the marketing manager for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Ann Arbor, Brighton, Brownstown, and Oakland Southwest, Mich., locations, is also planning to run Movers for Military this year.

Each franchise partnered with a different veteran organization in their area for 2018, and with all of the franchises employing multiple veterans, it was a good fit for them as a franchise group and also a good way to give back. Just last week, they delivered an electric wheelchair to a 70-year old veteran in Detroit that was donated to their franchise.

“We really are the ‘Movers Who Care®’,” Bush said. “We need to live that out, and it needs to be a part of our culture. I believe that it builds trust within an organization, as well as in the community, when TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is helping people and lending support.”

For Amy Gladieux, the marketing and recruiting manager at the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Cleveland location, she used a variety of connections to partner with seven different realtor offices, two networking organizations, a bank, a library, a dance studio, and a minor league baseball team in the Cleveland are to run Movers for Meals.

“Giving back to the community is one of the reasons I decided to work for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK,” said Gladieux. “Not only can we help out those in need of moving, but through these campaigns, we can have a big impact on the communities where we work.”

Without support from individuals and organizations in our local communities, these campaigns wouldn’t be possible. We were able to donate more the $3 million in moving services alone for 2017, and we hope to expand the reach and impact of these campaigns by exceeding our 2017 collection total of 145,000 items overall.

To learn more about our fall community programs and how you can help, visit our Community Service page, or contact the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® location nearest you.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

April 30, 2018May 14, 2018 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Leadership, Mother's Day, Movers for Moms, News, Organizing, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

Movers for Moms® aims to make 2018 Mother’s Day special for moms in need

-Written by Erik Sargent

The importance of mothers in the world could not possibly be put into words, and taking care of the moms in all of our lives is something we take very seriously here at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®.

Since the company’s beginning when it was started by a mom, Mary Ellen Sheets, and her two sons – Brig and Jon – we’ve put a heavy emphasis of working to honor and support the mothers in our communities any way we can. This motivation was the driving force behind the creation of one of our most important campaigns – Movers for Moms.

Movers for Moms is run by each franchise location in the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK network, and was developed with the idea of making Mother’s Day special for the mothers and families who have fallen on hard times.

Franchises partner with local business and organizations to set up collection areas, where people are encouraged to bring essential care items that are then delivered to partnering shelters by our moving teams in time for Mother’s Day.

“[Movers for Moms] is a great way to show we care about the community, and let people know we are more than just a local moving company,” said Amy Gladieux, marketing and recruiting manager for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Cleveland location. “For me, it’s about educating people in the community that the shelters could use our help. It’s so amazing to see the joy on volunteers’ faces when we make the big delivery before Mother’s Day. They are so grateful for what we can do for the shelter.”

Movers for Moms has continued to grow exponentially each year since it was developed, and every spring we’re able to expand our reach a little bit farther and make more of a difference for the people who need our assistance.

2017 was a record-breaking year for the campaign, as we were able to collect more than 295,000 items that were donated to shelters all across the country. These donations go a long way in helping moms get back on their feet, and also helps them enjoy a special Mother’s Day during a difficult time in their lives.

“I’ve always thought that Movers for Moms was an important initiative for us because it shows we are much more than just a moving company,” said Joe Malacky, marketing specialist for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Akron location. “One of the biggest compliments I get as a marketer for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is the amount of community involvement we do, and how much we give back. Movers for Moms is a great example of this, especially here in Akron.”

In the 10 years the program has been running, more than a million items have been donated to shelters across the country. For the year of 2017 alone, we partnered with over 800 businesses, schools, and other community programs to make sure we help as many people as possible.

This year, the system is ready to get back out and help as Mother’s Day quickly approaches, and our franchises are ready to continue making a difference with new and exciting ideas.

“We have a really good mix of partners this year, consisting of daycares, coffee shops, banks, libraries, insurance companies, title companies, and more,” said Shalimar Rydzik, marketing coordinator for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Waukesha location. “Associated Bank is a big partner this year, because they have 14 branches participating over Southeast Wisconsin. To sweeten the pot, Southeast Wisconsin co-op is working together to offer a free breakfast or lunch to the Associated Bank branch that collects the most items. With our Waukesha franchise, we are also offering this prize to the community that collects the most items.”

The franchises get creative in who they decide to partner with to help set up their collection sites and raise awareness, like the Akron franchise, who uses the power of baseball to work their campaign.

“This is the second year that we’ve partnered with the Akron Rubber Ducks (Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) for The Battered Women’s Shelter Night at Canal Park,” Malacky said “The first 200 fans to bring a donation will receive a free ticket to the game. Truckie and the BWS president will also be throwing out the first pitch, and the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Akron and BWS teams will be there with games and prizes, as well as passing out info on the shelter.”

We’re proud of all the hard work that’s put in by our franchise locations to work with women’s shelters and help make Mother’s Day a positive one for moms who need it most. If you’re interested in partnering with us for the Movers for Mom campaign, reach out to your local TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise to see how you can get involved.

In the meantime – be sure to check out this recap video from our 2017 Movers for Moms campaign!

April 16, 2018May 2, 2018 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Hiring Professional Movers, Leadership, News, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

Ohio operations manager steps up for customer during move

-Written by Erik Sargent

What defines a “Move Hero” in the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® world can be described several different ways, but at the end of the day, the simplest definition is someone who goes above and beyond to make a difference for our customers.

This can be something small or big, but regardless of what the action is, it’s moments or actions from our outstanding team members that stand out and show that we truly are the “Movers Who Care®”. For Cameron Gaines – an operations manager for a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK location in Ohio – his actions during a recent move earned him the reputation of a “Move Hero” when he took it upon himself to provide personal protection for a customer.

“Our customer was going through a domestic abuse situation with her boyfriend, leading her to want out of the house,” said Gregg Higgins, the franchise manager. “You could tell that over the phone, she was scared to even book a move with us. On the day of her move she was visibly scared, so Cam stepped up and made sure she was safe and protected while the guys conducted the move.”

It was a simple but meaningful action from Gaines to provide this protection for the customer, and it was clear to everyone involved on the move that his actions helped bring peace-of-mind to the woman while she went through this extremely difficult process.

Gaines chose to do this on his own and without the request of anyone involved at the franchise, and typically keeps in touch with the customer service representatives at his locations to determine the type of moves they are about to experience so he can provide assistance.

“I was not asked to do this, but I have a great relationship with our CSR team, and they keep me in the loop on potentially sensitive moves at my request,” Gaines said. “It can turn into a sticky situation at any time, and I don’t want my team or the customer to be at risk, so that extra guy on the job to help keep an eye out while the team moves never hurts.”

Gaines kept it simple but effective while providing his protection to the customer throughout the move, sticking by her side, offering assistance as she moved and packed her belongings safely.

It’s a testament to the type of workers we hire at all of our TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations across the country, and it shows how we have earned the reputation we have as a brand.

“It means everything to us as an organization,” said Clayton Huston, the business, development, and recruiting coordinator at multiple franchise locations in Ohio and Kentucky. “If we are putting our people first, our team will also put the same care and compassion into the customers. Compassion and empathy are vital for a healthy team, and not only do these character traits build internal relationships, but they establish new and meaningful customer relationships. Cam takes his role and responsibilities as an operations manager seriously, and his actions and decisions support his conviction.”

For Gaines, this was just another day on the job, but his actions prompted the customer to reach out and leave a touching review, thanking him and the rest of the steam for helping her out.

“My situation was a bit precarious,” the customer said in a written review. “The men of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK did so beautifully, I felt like my friends were helping me, and I had never met these men before. They brought an extra man [to] help me feel safe while they loaded the truck. The transition to the new location went smoothly, and I would recommend TWO MEN AND A TRUCK to anyone. Thanks for everything, guys.”

Gaines was glad to be of assistance, kept calm throughout the move, and tried his best to make sure the customer was happy.

“I was pretty calm throughout the ordeal, and the crew planned on me being there for extra support,” Gaines said. “[This showed] that we really are the ‘Movers Who Care’, and continue to show this by giving great customer service day in and day out. After the move, the customer hugged me and told me that she really appreciated what we did for her and her son.”

April 2, 2018April 23, 2018 Movers Who Blog Business Growth, Career Opportunities, Giving Back, Leadership, Moving, News, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® partners with Project C.U.R.E to distribute much-needed medical supplies worldwide

-Written by Erik Sargent

All around the world, medical supplies and equipment are always at a premium, especially with the ever-growing population across the planet.

But what happens to these items when they’re out-of-date and hospitals spend millions to update their equipment? It’s a question you don’t think of, but it raises a good point – just because the item is used, doesn’t mean it no longer works or that it can’t continue to help people. Many countries around the globe cannot afford new medical equipment, and patients in these areas are often denied treatment due to the lack of proper equipment.

For Dr. James Jackson – who discovered this issue in the 1980s while traveling in Brazil – it became a life goal to find a solution to this problem, and that’s how “Project C.U.R.E.” was developed. He returned home from his trip to Brazil in 1987, and immediately began putting this mission together in Evergreen, Colorado, where he was able to collect $250,000 in medical supplies in just 30 days, which he stored in his garage.

Now, more than 30 years later, Project C.U.R.E. is a full-fledged operation with distribution warehouses across the United States in locations that include Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Here at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, this is exactly the kind of company we love to work with as we continue our efforts of giving back to our communities and working hard to make a difference in the lives of others. That’s why our franchise location in Plainfield, Ill., developed a partnership with Project C.U.R.E. to collect and distribute these used medical supplies with our professional moving teams and trucks.

“TWO MEN AND A TRUCK and Project C.U.R.E. are teaming up to help move the world forward,” said Taylor McGuffie, marketing project liaison at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s Home Office location in Lansing, Mich. “As the largest provider of donated medical items to developing countries worldwide, we want to help in the best way we know how – moving!”

For Franchisees Joanne and Ron Sebby – who own the Plainfield franchise – when they were contacted by Home Office regarding the opportunity, and after some logistical planning, discovered it was a great fit for them.

“[The whole experience] was very nice. Rosemary was our contact at Project C.U.R.E., and they really aren’t that far from our franchise,” said Joanne Sebby. “We discussed what we could provide in terms of hours per month and then I handed it off to Greg [Sebby], and Greg set the whole process up.”

Fast forward to today, and the franchise has been running on the schedule of performing moves for Project C.U.R.E every other Wednesday, and the amount of movers and trucks needed varies by week.

“The vast majority of the moves usually involve just one truck and two guys, and each move takes five or six hours,” said Greg. “There was one time we were moving 16 hospital beds and 60 other pieces of hospital furniture, and we had to send five trucks and 10 guys for that move. It took our guys all day long.”

Joanne Sebby mentioned how they are always looking to make a difference by helping with moves like this, and outside of Project C.U.R.E., have recently done other charitable moves like collecting water and donating truck time to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey.

The partnership with Project C.U.R.E. has been rewarding for everyone involved at the franchise, and the location has no plans of slowing down with their assistance moving forward.

“I think it’s important for us to work with charity groups because we like to do it,” said Joanne Sebby. “I think getting our name out there is just an added bonus. We’ve tried to do charity work throughout the years, but none have resonated quite like this one. I think it’s a good fit for us.”

To find out more about the fantastic work being done by Project C.U.R.E or to find out how you can get involved with their mission, visit their website here.

March 26, 2018April 16, 2018 Movers Who Blog Business Growth, Leadership, News, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

Climbing the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ladder: Sara Bennett’s journey to chief talent officer

-Written by Erik Sargent

Career advancement is something that is preached and encouraged daily at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, throughout all levels of the system, as we like to take care of our employees and guide them on their professional paths.

Sara Bennett’s path to success is a prime example of this within the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK system. She has been instrumental in pushing this message through her work in the human resources department, and in 2018, she continued her own journey of moving forward professionally with a move to the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK executive team as Chief Talent Officer.

Bennett began her TWO MEN AND A TRUCK career in 2002 as Corporate Relations Assistant, and over 15 years, has proven time and time again just how valuable she is to the company.

“I was obviously honored and excited for another opportunity to move forward with the company,” Bennett said. “It was also exciting to know that the role itself was one the company saw value in. When I first came to TWO MEN AND AT TRUCK, there wasn’t even an HR Department, so it was wonderful to know there was an executive role focused entirely on people.”

The move was well received by both corporate and franchise team members due to the relationships Bennett has built. “Sara has always been an ultimate professional,” said Trent Kissel, the HR and safety director at the Kalamazoo, Mich., franchise location. “Often, from the franchisees’ view, Sara is the voice in the background that keeps things moving forward while always listening to different viewpoints and trying to find a common ground. She probably doesn’t always get the credit she deserves, so it’s nice to see her getting this promotion.”

Bennett’s move also received high remarks from the very highest levels of the company – the founding family.

“Let me start with this – no one deserves this promotion more than Sara Bennet. Period,” said TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Co-CEO and one of the original two men, Brig Sorber. “She started with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK at the lowest possible position 15 years ago. She took advantage of the opportunities to reach this position. It was by showing up every day, choosing to put herself out there by taking the time to learn and grow, risking failure, and learning from it when she did. Most importantly, it was putting others first. Her victories in her career came from the victories of others she helped.”

Bennett’s journey at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK aligns with the company’s annual recruiting campaign, Career Move Month – a company-wide hiring initiative aimed at strengthening our staff numbers at each of our franchises and our Home Office location.

Instrumental in the development of this program over the years, it was a rewarding change for Bennett to once again find herself on the side of career advancement opportunities with the brand.

“To say it has been rewarding probably sounds cliché, but it’s probably the most accurate,” Bennett said. “It has been challenging at times, but always exciting and worth pushing through the challenges. I’ve never had a time where I’ve thought to myself, ‘Is this really worth it?’, and it’s been awesome to see leaders develop and grow – even if it does make me feel old!”

Bennett’s promotion to the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK executive team adds another chapter to the great history here with women in leadership roles at the company. The company’s founder – Mary Ellen Sheets – built this company from the ground up more than 30 years ago.

Sheets’ daughter – Melanie Bergeron – was the first franchise owner in the system, and also the first person to be named President of the company. Bennett hopes her journey can set a good example not only other women in the company, but everywhere.

“I’ve been lucky to have such amazing women pave the way for me,” Bennett said. “They have set standards and expectations which I am honored to continue to emulate in this role. I just hope to set a good example for other women at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK.”

As Bennett transitions into this role, it’s given her time to reflect on this journey through TWO MEN AND A TRUCK that started all the way back in 2002.

Bennett credits the brand for making her feel valued with her contributions in her work, no matter how small they were. It’s this type of response that has been echoed by employees throughout each and every level of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, showing we truly are a “people” company.

Bennett never set personal goals to reach a certain level in the company, and according to her, she just worked hard and tried to make an impact, and found a company where that type of effort truly matters, which is just another reason the brand means so much to her.

“I don’t know how to sum up what it means to me anymore than with our purpose – ‘to move people forward,’” Bennett said. “The brand is so intertwined with who I am as a person at this point in my life. I’ve spent more time in this office building than I have anywhere else in my life, so I need to feel like my time here is spent making a difference.”

January 8, 2018February 5, 2018 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Leadership, Moving, News, Newsroom, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

Finding solutions to help end homelessness in America

-Written by Erik Sargent

As we roll through the winter months and the holiday season, many people are spending time with their loved ones in nice, warm homes, enjoying this wonderful time of year. Unfortunately, for an alarming number of people in the country, this is not the case.

The issues of homelessness in America is an ongoing problem, one that needs constant attention and solutions as organizations and groups work to get people off the streets and into better situations.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, on a single given night in 2017, 553,742 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States, and approximately 65 percent were staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing program.

Homelessness increased for the first time in seven years, showing almost a one percent increase from 2016, according to the same report. So how does the nation solve homelessness? What is causing homelessness? It’s a complex issue with many layers.

Various issues leading to the problem

“Far and away, the number one cause is eviction,” said Darin Estep, vice president of community engagement for the Volunteers of America Michigan department. “There are underlying causes for eviction, but it’s usually unemployment, loss of job, or a medical condition. Almost all homeless cases result when someone does not have a support system.”

Along with the problem of eviction, drugs and alcohol can play a key role in homelessness, but another major issue is the problem of mental health.

“Some of it can be drug and alcohol related, but a great part of it is mental health issues,” said Jody Naylor, a board member for Homeless Angels, an organization based in Lansing, Mich., that provides temporary shelter for clients and helps them work toward getting back on their feet during rough patches.

“It can be people not taking their medication like they should be. A lot of our clients have mental health issues, and the other large segment is just people who have fallen on hard times and don’t know where to turn.”

One common misconception about homelessness is that it occurs during the winter months, but as both Estep and Naylor pointed out, homelessness has become such a large problem that it now has no season – it’s year round.

“It’s unfortunately a year-round problem,” Estep said. “It’s much more painful and dangerous in the winter because winter can kill you if you’re not in shelter, so it’s important to get people inside and out of the weather. But it is important to remember this problem is year-round, and we are pretty much full 365 days a year.”

Spreading the message

For organizations who provide assistance to people struggling with homelessness, aside from actually providing these services, one of the biggest tasks is making sure people in need are aware of how to get help.

For Estep and the VOA of Michigan, they work on collaborating with other agencies in the Ingham County area where they are based to ensure there is a wide web cast so people are aware they can turn to these organizations for help. This starts by word of mouth or distributing outreach cards in certain areas to spread the message.

For Naylor and Homeless Angels, they often do networking on their own, and also leave their lines open for people to contact them with issues of their own, or if they see someone struggling.

“We have a street ministry team, where there’s a team of people that actually comb the parks in Lansing and they know where a lot of homeless camps are,” Naylor said. “They work on building relationships with the homeless people in the community, because they have trust issues. Once they trust them and know that we are there to help them, that helps with bringing them in.”

Naylor and the Homeless Angels also put a lot of effort into using social media to increase their presence in the Lansing area, and receive messages on a daily basis from people in the community that will point out a person who might be sleeping in their car or in a bridge, and offer the location so the organization can go check on them.

Everyone getting involved

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, we put a heavy emphasis on giving back to each of the communities we work in, trying to make a difference in the lives of the people that reside there and making the areas a better place to live. One of our top fall campaigns – Truckload of Warmth – was specifically designed to help with the issue of homelessness, and during it, our franchises partner with organizations in their areas to help provide warm weather clothing that can be distributed at shelters during the cold months.

“We have been doing this drive for several years,” said Kara Berhow, marketing and recruiting director for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Des Moines, Iowa, location. “Within our community, there is a huge need for these winter wear items. We see that need in our schools and especially in the area’s refugee population. We received request for more than 12,000 items this year. Many people arrive in our city with nothing more than light clothing, and being prepared on a tight budget is a real struggle for families just trying to get started again.”

Berhow and the Des Moines location partnered with a local non-profit organization in the area to help with their campaigns, and also partnered with a local Chick-Fil-A restaurant to collect over 10,000 items that were distributed throughout the area.

“The campaign was incredibly successful, and it is a joy to watch it grow each year,” Berhow said. “Our teams are always thrilled to help with dropping off boxes, picking up donations, manning the ‘Fill the Truck’ events, and delivering the donations. The ability to give back is something that we celebrate here, and it is a blessing to work for a company that puts so much emphasis on philanthropy.”

How the public can get involved

Homeless organizations and companies working to use their resources to fight the issues of homelessness is great, but in order to make a true swing at ending it in certain areas, it takes the efforts of as many people as possible.

These organizations are always seeking volunteers, and they encourage people to contact them and ask for ways they can either assist with their efforts, donate, or provide resources to help the cause.

“I would say there’s three main ways to get involved,” Estop said. “One is to come and volunteer and see the people so you get a ground-level understanding of the problem. Another way is to simply come in for a tour, where we can show you around. Third is to just contribute. We take donations of cash, goods, and time. Any way people want to share with our less fortunate brothers and sisters, we are happy to facilitate that. That’s one of the main reasons we are here – to provide that opportunity.”