PHOENIX and DETROIT, Aug. 25,
2016 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul, the industry leader in
do-it-yourself moving and self-storage, has teamed with a beloved
Motor City charity to help previously homeless families transition
from shelters into clean, dignified and welcoming homes. Humble
Design Fueled by U-Haul, as it is now termed, was born seven years
ago out of the idea that decent families emerging from homelessness
in Metro Detroit deserve to come home to basic necessities like
tables to eat at, sofas to sit on and beds to sleep in each night.
Co-founder Treger Strasberg's organization has assisted more than
660 families so far. With the support of U-Haul, that number will
swell exponentially while expanding this noble pursuit to
additional cities.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7907151-u-haul-humble-design-partners/
"The expertise, resources, national reach and community
commitment of U-Haul make it a tremendous partner for Humble Design
to take our mission nationwide to alleviate homelessness,"
Strasberg said. "Working together, U-Haul and Humble Design will
engage communities to serve families in need by turning houses into
homes across the country."
Morgan Radford of NBC's Today
visited Detroit to profile the
work Humble Design Fueled by U-Haul is doing. The story is
scheduled to air nationally at 9 a.m. ET
Sunday, Aug. 28.
Through the generous donations of businesses and individuals,
Humble Design's dedicated staff and volunteers not only address of
the primary furnishings that families require like beds, but they
add the personal touches that make a house a home: individualized
wall art, curtains, rugs, kitchen appliances and children's needs
such as toys, books, stuffed animals and sporting goods.
How does Humble Design work?
- Gently used household furnishings are donated by caring
supporters like you.
- Families are selected with the help of case workers at homeless
and abuse shelters.
- Focus is placed on selecting single parents with children and
veteran families.
- Humble designers meet with selected families to assess their
needs and wish lists.
- Measurable impact: Up to half of all families that leave
shelters return to homelessness within one year. Only 1 percent for
Humble-assisted families return to shelters in that time.
PUBLIC CHALLENGE
U-Haul has helped Humble Design increase its reach with a
donated wrapped truck, self-storage space at U-Haul facilities,
financial assistance and an infrastructure that will enable this
compassionate work to touch more cities. Now U-Haul is making
another pledge: It will match every dollar donated to Humble Design
— up to $50,000! Will you help us fight homelessness and
restore dignity to families in need? Give today.
U-Haul was started 71 years ago by a WWII Navy veteran and his
wife to meet the basic need of helping families move their
belongings from one destination to another. Today, U-Haul focuses
its extensive charitable efforts on meeting the basic human needs
of food, clothing and shelter; aiding and honoring veterans; and
caring for communities in times of crises as an American Red Cross
Disaster Responder.
"The shared ideals of U-Haul and Humble Design provide the basis
for a partnership that will overcome homelessness, one home at a
time," U-Haul Executive Vice President Stuart Shoen said. "From our longstanding ties
to the auto industry to the revitalization efforts we're involved
in today such as the NBC (Nabisco) Building in New Center, U-Haul
is inherently linked to the Motor City and its hardworking
people. The prospect of making a genuine difference for
Detroit families in need – and
soon families in many other cities – was an opportunity we couldn't
pass up."
About U-Haul
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of
do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 21,000 locations
across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul customers'
patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 139,000
trucks, 108,000 trailers and 38,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers
more than 536,000 rooms and more than 47 million square feet of
self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout
North America. U-Haul is the
largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive
aftermarket industry and is the largest retailer of propane in the
U.S. www.uhaul.com
About Humble Design
Humble Design is a Detroit-based non-profit that helps
families transitioning out of homeless shelters by providing
furnishings and design services. The organization turns empty
houses into clean, dignified and welcoming homes — a very simple
idea that can change a family's future. Co-founded by Treger
Strasberg, the organization primarily serves single moms with
children and helps homeless veterans and their families. The Humble
Design team has served more than 660 families since 2009 and
currently helps three families a week.
www.humbledesign.org
Contact
Jeff Lockridge
Sebastien Reyes
E-mail: publicrelations@uhaul.com
Phone: 602-760-4941
Website: uhaul.com
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/homelessness-to-happiness-u-haul-partners-with-humble-design-to-furnish-homes-for-single-parent-and-veteran-families-in-need-300318070.html
SOURCE U-HAUL