Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/795447
44 commercial carrier journal | march 2017 the communities who support us year a er year." Building teamwork In an industry where employee turn- over is rampant and the cost to replace them is high, Southeastern Serves pro- vides a sense of purpose and o ers one more reason for SEFL drivers to stay. Heaton nds that community in- volvement initiativessuch as South- eastern Serveshelps buildan environ- ment of camaraderie and teamwork among SEFL employees in di erent departments of the company. "I believe every opportunity to engage with the community and give back through service aligns with the Southeastern culture," he says. "With- out fail, whenever a group serves the needy, a bond is formed, and align- ment and teamwork is strengthened." Heaton also feels the program in- stills a sense of company pride among SEFL's drivers and assists with the company's retention e orts. "We want employees of all levels to be engaged and have an opportunity to get involved," he says. " is instills a sense of company pride for our employees, know- ing the initiatives we have in place and the good work we are doing to give back." In 2015, the company's Region II service centers, which include more than 20 facilities in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, par- ticipated in a regional volunteer project assistingOperation Christmas Child, aSamaritan's Purse program. Together, the Region II service centers collected more than 300 shoeboxes for children across the country. Last year, 881 participants, includ- ing SEFL associates and their friends and family members, participated in Southeastern Serves projects ranging from volunteering at food drives and soup kitchens to providing school sup- plies and yardwork. Last April, 35 volunteers from SEFL's service center in El Paso, Texas, cooked a homemade fajita dinner for families liv- ing at the city's Ronald McDonald House, which provides low-cost and free lodging and meals for families to stay close to hospitalized children. e 35 SEFL vol- unteers in El Paso were a combination of company associates and family members. A month later, the company's service center in Greenville, S.C., helped e Pendleton Place– a nonpro t organiza- tion serving abused, neglected and aban- doned children – revamp its playground, spreading mulch, repairing damaged equipment and creating a barrier so the mulch would not wash away. SEFL volunteers in Greenville included leadership, pickup-and-delivery drivers, freight handlers and their family mem- bers and friends. e team enjoyed a day of fellowship while helping the commu- nity at the same time, Heaton said. Most recently, SEFL's Miami service center collected almost 1,700 pounds of food to donate to theStar of the Sea Outreach Mission, serving those in need across 34 locations from Key Largo to Key West. " e opportunity Southeastern has to support so many deserving organi- zations and individuals throughout the year as part of the Southeastern Serves program is humbling," Heaton said. "We look forward to the new commu- nity service projects that await us in the coming year." To kick o 2017, SEFL prepared 40,000 meals to be donated to the Harvest Hope Food Bank in Columbia, S.C., as part ofFeeding Children Everywhere, an Orlando, Fla.-based nonpro t formed in the wake of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Feeding Children Everywhere since has mobilized more than 421,000 volunteers to package 62 million healthy meals for hungry children in 49 countries around the world. Feeding Children Everywhere consults with local nutritionists and provides all of the materials and proj- ect setup to create an assembly line for volunteers to work together e ciently. SEFL's Harvest Hope project consisted of lentils, white rice, dehydrated veg- etables and pink Himalayan salt. "Southeastern places a high priority on giving back," Heaton said. "Feeding Children Everywhere allows us the op- portunity to serve and engage employees in the cause, providing meals for those at risk in our local community. We encour- age other businesses to get involved and make an impact on global hunger." CC J I N N O VATO R S pro les carriers and eets that have found innovative ways to overcome trucking's challenges. If you know a carrier that has displayed innovation, contact Je Crissey at jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com or 800-633-5953. SEFL employees worked with Resur- rection Life Ministries, a ministry based in downtown Columbia, S.C. SEFL's Miami service center collected almost 1,700 pounds of food to donate to theStar of the Sea Outreach Mission.