The trucking industry is comprised of a lot of big-hearted people who find joy in giving back not just around the holidays, but all year long.
Trucking companies and organizations nationwide have shared their stores of charitable works and giving with Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), the industry-wide education movement. The organization is now sharing just a few of these incredible stories of kindness within the industry.
“The trucking industry is one of service – from delivering the essential goods that keep communities well stocked and supplied throughout the year, to finding ways to give back to their communities during the holiday season,” said Kevin Burch, co-chairman of TMAF and vice president of Government Affairs and Sales at MTS. “TMAF is proud to help tell the story of how the trucking companies and organizations in states across the country give back to the communities they serve.”
Below are some examples of how the trucking industry raised others up this holiday season.
Advantage Truck Group, based in Shrewsbury, MA, marked the 10-year anniversary of their charitable initiative, Haulin’ 4 Hunger, that helps provide meals to people facing hunger in communities near ATG dealerships throughout New England. This year, Haulin’ 4 Hunger increased donations to provide over 4,000 fresh holiday meals in December to food pantry organizations in Central Massachusetts and continued to donate thousands of nonperishable foods each quarter to hunger-relief organizations near other ATG locations. With the support of its employees, customers and business partners, over the past decade, ATG’s Haulin’ 4 Hunger program has donated over 30,000 meals to food pantry organizations across three states to help those in need in its communities.
Averitt Express, based in Cookeville, TN, hosts their employee-giving program, Averitt Cares for Kids, in which more than 94% of associates donate $1 per week. This past year, associates made their largest contribution in the program’s history of $1,050,001 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Associates also participate in Averitt’s Team Up Community Challenge, which serves 140 organizations in nearly 100 communities annually.
Blue Mountain, MS based Big M Transportation employees, family, and partners donated over $30,000 to St. Jude, raising a collective $110,000 over the past few years. Employees participated in the Tippah Toys for Tots, which takes place at the company’s annual Christmas party, as well as multiple blood drives that are held on-site throughout the year. Big M also participated in Wreaths Across America again this year.
Brenny Transportation, Inc., based in St. Joseph, MN, hosted their annual Driven to Serve campaign. With the $7,000 they raised, Brenny purchased gift cards to provide to those in need through a local school’s fundraiser, which doubled their charitable giving. Brenny also donated to a local food shelter and provided a charitable haul by transporting the Christmas tree for their town’s WinterWalk festival.
Joplin, MO-based CFI gave back to their community through several charitable initiatives, including support for local charities and Wreaths Across America. CFI also hosted its 29th annual Truckloads of Treasures fundraiser, which raised $41,000 this year. In total, the fundraiser has raised a total of $1,001,000 to date to support communities around CFI in the U.S., Mexico and Canada during the holidays.
Conversion Interactive Agency, based in Brentwood, TN, held its annual food drive to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Conversion employees donated and transported 1,505 items to a partner collection site to be distributed to people in need across Middle Tennessee.
Dave and Lori Widly, owners of DriverFacts, based in Anaheim, CA, assisted flood victims in the hardest hit counties of Kentucky. They built wheelchair ramps, replaced sub-floors and roofs with a team of parents and students from Orange Lutheran High School.
Northfield Trucking Co, Inc. based in Romulus, MI, organized an Annual Trunk or Treat, which was widely attended by the community and drew over 300 children from neighboring cities. Northfield Trucking & Associates donated toothbrushes, water, chips, candy, snow cones and chocolates to celebrate Halloween and help those families in need.
Knoxville, TN-based Pilot Company, a veteran-founded company extended its long tradition of supporting Wreaths Across America’s Escort to Arlington and partnering with TCA to celebrate and honor veterans in the trucking industry by sponsoring the Appreciation Dinner held in Arlington, VA ahead of the laying of the wreaths ceremony.
SH 130 Concession Company, based in Central Texas, partnered with the Caldwell County Sheriff Department’s Brown Santa program and collected over 150 toys, games and books for area families that need a little extra help this holiday season.
The Rhode Island Trucking Association co-hosted Rhode Island’s first Torch Run Truck Convoy® for Special Olympics along with the Special Olympics Rhode Island and various municipal and state enforcement agencies. Nearly fifty trucks from over thirty trucking companies took part; the event raised over $13k for Rhode Island Special Olympics athletes to enable them to train and compete free of charge.
The Texas Trucking Association (TXTA)’s Emerging Leaders Council (ELC) hosted their annual toy drive for Toys for Tots. The kickoff of the toy drive takes place at their fall meeting each year where the membership is encouraged to host toy drives across the state; a marine also addresses the ELC to share about ways to get involved.
Trailiner, based in Springfield, MO, participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks Bowl for Kids’ Sake Truckers Challenge and raised the largest sum of money – $4,000 – of participating truckers for the second year in a row. Trailiner also participated in several other charitable acts, including a partnership with Ozarks Food Harvest, and sponsorships for the Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks and the Jeepin for a Cure event to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks. Employees also worked with the Department of Social Services to support children in the foster system and donated items in need to ensure they have a happy Christmas.
Trucking Angels for Christ, Inc., a nonprofit whose mission is to minister to women and provides free bibles and services, partnered with Teddy’s Angels to help children that have terminal illnesses for Christmas.
Wabash, based in Lafayette, IN, partnered with agencies across the country to give back to its communities. Wabash donated over $500,000 in charitable giving and thousands of volunteer hours from employees with a focus on fighting hunger and supporting children and veterans. In addition to local initiatives, Wabash established a new partnership with Feeding America in 2022 as an ongoing commitment to help end hunger on a national scale. To celebrate this partnership, Wabash hosted employee volunteer events at local food pantries monthly and organized a company-wide Drive Away Hunger food drive. With their business partners’ support, Wabash filled 1,000 backpacks with food for children in need during their Ignite conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.
