Alpha Self Storage in Allen, Texas, is launching its first food and toy drive this holiday season. Spearheaded by facility manager Tressa Stewart, the effort will benefit local food bank Allen Community Outreach (ACO). Donations of non-perishable items and toys can be made at 307 S. Butler Drive Nov. 6-8 and Nov. 13-15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The drive is also a first for Stewart, who took over management of the storage property in May. She had often hosted Christmas dinners at her home in Alaska for people with no place to go and wanted to do something on a bigger scale, according to the source. She contacted ACO, which provides services to families in need in Collin County, Texas. For help with logistics, she contacted Move For Hunger, a service program that helps people organize food drives in their communities.
“[Stewart] said, ‘I know what it’s like for people to struggle with hunger,’ and she felt that being a new community member she wanted to give back to people during the holidays, especially children,” said Anna Mazzotta, a communication and event intern for Move For Hunger.
The organization helped Stewart locate a mover in her area that would provide boxes for the donations and assist in publicizing the drive through the press, social media and fliers. The mover also found local sponsors to help deliver the items to ACO.
If the drive is successful, Stewart hopes to make it an annual event. “I think that everybody at one time or another needs a little bit of help. I hope that if I’m ever there that I can be one of those people who can get it,” she said.
Move For Hunger partners with relocation companies across the country to pick up unwanted, non-perishable food items from those who are moving and deliver it to local food banks. To date, it has collected more than 5 million pounds of food.
Sources:
- Star Local Media: Local Storage Company to Host Food, Toy Drive
