Trucking Makes Special Delivery for Charity

ARLINGTON, Va., May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The trucking industry, through a partnership of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and Good360, will deliver life's essentials to two charities in the Lewisburg, West Virginia area.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100129/ATALOGO)

The ATA Share the Road Highway Safety tractor-trailer will deliver the much needed products from Good360 to the residents of The Children's Home Society of West Virginia and The Family Refuge Center, during the ATA Leadership Meeting in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.  

The first stop will be on Saturday, May 14th at The Children's Home Society in Fairlea, and the second stop will be on Monday, May 16th at The Family Refuge Center in Lewisburg.

Congressman Nick Rahall (WV-3) will participate in the delivery to The Family Refuge Center and members of the West Virginia Trucking Association will participate in both deliveries.

"The men and women who make up the American trucking industry make up a central component of our Nation's economy," said U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  "And, as we witness today, they deliver more than goods safely.  Throughout the country and the year, their big hearts spread compassion and comfort," Rahall added.

Jeff Wade, a professional truck driver for Southeastern Freight Lines, will be behind the wheel as they arrive safely at their doorsteps.  Helping unload the trailers will be Clarence Jenkins, a professional truck driver for UPS Freight and David Boyer, a professional truck driver for ABF Freight System, Inc.  Wade, Jenkins and Boyer are members of the ATA Share the Road  program.

"The trucking industry brings virtually everything we use daily," said Wade who has almost 1.5 million accident free miles.  "It is an honor to be involved in such an important delivery, and to be able to give back to those in need," added Wade.  

Donated products were provided by Crayola, Hallmark, Scentsy, Estee Lauder, MaryKay, and Hanesbrands.  Con-way Freight and the American Trucking Associations donated the transportation.

The American Trucking Associations (www.truckline.com) is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States. Follow ATA on Twitter @TruckingMatters (www.twitter.com/truckingmatters), or become a fan on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/y4qwp6h).

Good360 (www.good360.org) is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to fulfilling the needs of nonprofits by distributing corporate product donations around the world. The organization works with more than half of the Fortune 100 consumer, retail and technology companies to provide needed products to almost 14,000 qualified nonprofit organizations. This summer Good360 will launch the latest version of its new, innovative online marketplace that helps to aggregate the product needs of nonprofits and provides timely information about how product donations are used for the greater good. Good360, formerly Gifts In Kind International, is ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the nation's best-managed charities in America.

The West Virginia Trucking Association is committed to safety on the state's highways. With 175 companies, WVTA represents West Virginia's trucking industry with a unified voice. Trucking is a vital part of West Virginia's economy, carrying millions of dollars worth of cargo every day and servicing every community in the state. Many communities in West Virginia communities are served exclusively by trucks, and couldn't exist without the trucking industry. www.wvtrucking.com

The Children's Home Society of West Virginia is a private, non-profit child welfare organization founded in 1896. The Society is a participatory organization consisting of employees, foster families, adoptive families, volunteers, Board members, Directors Emeriti, advisory council members, donors, benefactors, supporters, and friends. We are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that is representative of the communities we serve from around the state. We are licensed to provide child welfare and behavioral health services in West Virginia. We are a member agency of the West Virginia Alliance for Children and we are fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services to Families and Children (COA).

The Family Refuge Center is a community based domestic violence project serving Greenbrier, Pocahontas, and Monroe counties in southeastern West Virginia. We are committed to ending physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in families. We encourage and promote healthy family life based on mutual respect and support for all family members.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations