2015 was a big year for O2E Brands and, as 2016 kicks off, we are taking a look back at the last twelve months and the amazing work done by our franchise partners from 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and WOW 1 DAY PAINTING.
It's not only the work they do for our customers that makes them a wonderful group, it's also the outreach they do within their communities and for the various charities with which they work. Here are just a few highlights:
Second Chance Toys
In April, eleven 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises across the Northeast participated in GOT TOYS?, a toy drive for Second Chance Toys, asking communities in Delaware (New Castle), Maryland (Baltimore), Massachusetts (Holliston), New Jersey (Bellmawr, Englishtown, Maplewood, New Brunswick, Pleasantville), Pennsylvania (Norristown), Virginia (Chantilly), and Washington D.C. (Gaithersburg) to join them in giving back to disadvantaged children through the donation of gently-used plastic toys.
The massive toy drive resulted in over 1500 toys donated to children in need across the region. It was the eighth year that 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and Second Chance Toys have teamed up to help children in need. To date, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has helped transport over 100,000 toys to disadvantaged children.
Denver Food Drive
In partnership with Chick-fil-A in Aurora, CO our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises in Denver held a community food drive, with donations taken to various organizations in the local area, benefiting those in need heading into the winter season.
Earth Day 2015
To help promote Earth Day in 2015, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise partners in Nashville, Chicago, Washington D.C., Madison (WI), Albany, Saskatoon, Vancouver (B.C), Victoria/Nanaimo and the Okanagan held local events within their communities. Some promoted recycling and reusing via spots in local media, while other held e-waste collections.
Soles4Souls
Back in October 2014, our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise in Virginia North started working with Soles4Souls, a not for profit committed to fighting poverty by collecting and distributing shoes and clothing to those in need around the globe. The team collect pairs of shoes via shoe collection drives, day-to-day hauling services, direct donations, and other outreach in the community.
Since 2014, they have sent four trailers filled with shoes to the organization, and are working on filling another. Each trailer holds 20,000 to 25,000 pairs of shoes -that's around 100,000 pairs of shoes that they have shipped! The shoes get sent to Alabama where they are sorted by Soles4Souls and shipped overseas, to countries such as Haiti.
Habitat for Humanity
Franchises across our systems work with Habitat for Humanity on different projects. In 2015, our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? team in Montreal provided over $25,000 of free junk removal to the non-profit organization. Because of this, they were able to give two houses to two deserving families!
Meanwhile, during the fall, our WOW 1 DAY PAINTING franchise in York, Ontario worked with Habitat for Humanity in their local area to paint a house for a family in need. The consulted with all members of the family, choosing their colors with care. The little boy requested a 'superhero' bedroom, so they painted his room with bright blues and reds - quite fitting for a budding Clark Kent!
Chair Affair
Our Toronto franchise partners from 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and WOW 1 DAY PAINTING joined forces in November in support of Chair Affair, an initiative of Furniture Bank. The event is an auction-based gala where designers repurpose old chairs, with proceeds going to Furniture Bank's efforts to furnish homes for people in need. All up, the 2015 Chair Affair raised $67,000, which equals 268 family homes furnished!
Yard Sale for the Cure
In May, in just under ten hours, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Toronto raised $30,967.91 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) at its two Yard Sale for the Cure events. Over 5000 people attended the sales at Kew Gardens and Trinity Bellwoods Park, with items on sale ranging from household furniture, to books, toys, musical instruments and sporting goods.
For the first time, the event also included a silent auction of exclusive upcycled pieces from some of Ontario's top designers and DIY experts, including Amanda Forrest. Since becoming involved with the event in 2006, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Toronto has helped raise over $211,000 for CBCF, which includes this year's fundraising efforts.
Denver Food Drive
In partnership with Chick-fil-A in Aurora, CO our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises in Denver held a community food drive, with donations taken to various organizations in the local area, benefiting those in need heading into the winter season.
Community Empowerment North Virginia & Toys for Tots
1-800-GOT-JUNK? in North Virginia, in conjunction with Community Empowerment North Virginia, spent three days collecting and distributing five truckloads of toys for several hundred families in Sterling and Springfield, VA. Toys were picked up from the Toys for Tots Foundation and local junk hauling operations. In time for the holiday season, the families were able to select gifts: parents choosing toys for their children and children picking household items for their parents!
Boulder E-waste Collection
Our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise in Boulder, uses junk they collect to supply art projects that team member Stacy McCusker organizes for local schools, including Central Elementary. On April 21, the team hosted an Earth Day e-waste collection event at the school, allowing families and other locals to drop off electronics and also continuing their efforts to divert waste from landfills (they divert around 70% of waste collected!)
WOW = MOM Campaign
To celebrate Mother's Day, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING franchise partners in Toronto, Calgary and Ottawa found deserving moms in their local area to whom to gift a room makeover. Each franchise transformed a room for the mom, giving them a small home makeover to brighten up their day and let them know that their hard work is appreciated!
World's Biggest Garage Sale
October marked the return of The World's Biggest Garage Sale in Brisbane, Australia. Our 1800-GOT-JUNK? franchise there is a big supporter of the event, providing space for the sale and donating items to be purchased on the day. Key benefactors of funds raised were charities Mater Queensland and Smiling for Smiddy.
Charity Yard Sales
During the months of May and June, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise partners in Sonoma (CA), Madison (WI) and Las Vegas (NV) held yard sales. The sales were put on in their local communities and proceeds were donated to charities in those areas, including the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, the YMCA of Dane County, and the Center for Veterans Issues.
These are just a few highlights from 2015 and we look forward to sharing many more stories throughout 2016!