Giving back has been a fundamental part of uShip’s identity since day one. From the early days of Help on Wheels, our mobile assistance truck initiative, to today’s comprehensive uShip Gives program, our commitment to giving back has continued to grow in step with the company.
Last month, we continued a long uShip tradition of giving: Service Week. During our annual five-day stretch of volunteerism, uShippers donated more than 100 service hours to three local nonprofit organizations through the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Austin.
Central Texas Food Bank
Pantry + kitchen volunteering
The Central Texas Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in Central Texas, serving 21 counties, an area the size of Michigan. Servicing local pantries and other services, such as Meals on Wheels, CTFB feeds 500-750 meals per day during the school year, and 1,000-2,500 meals during the summer. During Service Week, the uShip team helped to pack and prepare 11,680 meals.
Mobile Loaves + Fishes
Garden + grounds volunteering
Mobile Loaves + Fishes is an organization dedicated to providing food, clothing and community resources to the chronically homeless in Central Texas. Encompassing several independent campaigns, Mobile Loaves and Fishes assists the homeless with long- and short-term solutions.
Two of these efforts are the Community First! Village, which provides permanent, affordable housing and a supportive community to the chronically homeless; and the Genesis Gardens, a self-sustaining on-premise garden.
During Service Week, uShippers concentrated their efforts on these sites. Volunteers worked to beautify the grounds of the village, giving some TLC to the play area for the community’s kids, as well as tended to the expansive gardens. Thanks to residents and an extensive team of volunteers in the area, the gardens provide a bounty of fresh produce which is prepared and preserved for use within the village.
Meals on Wheels
Meal delivery volunteering
One of the longest standing and most prolific community service projects in Central Texas, Meals on Wheels is a nutrition program that delivers healthy meals to senior citizens and other homebound clients. Each Meals on Wheels client works with a caseworker who understands their needs and challenges, making the program a truly holistic solution for clients in need.
The uShip team of volunteers included four drivers and teams, who delivered 42 meals to Meals on Wheels clients.
So, why a week of service? The short answer is: because we can. We’re lucky to have talented team members and the resources to give back, so we do just that at every opportunity. Stay tuned to keep up on what other community service initiatives we’re getting into, and visit our uShip Gives page to see more about the program.
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