Five Good Things: Fleets boost local communities through charity and safety

Valvoline donates $100,000 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to support pediatric mental health initiatives

Valvoline recently donated $100,000 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to fund mental health grants supporting pediatric patients across the country.

More than 85 children’s hospitals within the network applied for funding, and six grants were awarded to support mental health initiatives tailored to the needs of young patients and their families.

“For decades, Valvoline Inc. has championed initiatives that advance children’s health,” Lori Flees, Valvoline president and CEO, said. “As mental health challenges continue to affect young people across the United States and Canada, we felt a deep responsibility to help. Children’s hospitals shared an overwhelming need for funding to train staff, purchase essential equipment, and launch programs that support better mental health outcomes. These grants are one way we’re investing in solutions that ensure children receive the care they need when they need it most.”

The selected hospitals and their funded projects include:

• Children’s Nebraska: Zero Suicide training for hospital staff to strengthen suicide prevention protocols.
• Children’s Health Foundation: Remodeling and furnishing two therapy rooms to create safe, welcoming spaces for pediatric mental health care.
• C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow: Enhancing the Pediatric Behavioral Health Unit with items that foster a safe, developmentally appropriate, and healing environment.
• Phoenix Children’s: Providing medication and gun lockboxes as part of their Suicide Means Reduction program to promote safety and prevention.
• McLane Children’s Medical Center: Supplying psychologically safe entertainment and sensory tools—such as tumbling mats, Nintendo Switches, and Bluetooth headphones—for children in the Pediatric Emergency Department.
• Riley Hospital for Children at the Indiana University Health: Funding a multiuse therapy tool to support both in-person and remote patient sessions.

Truckload Carriers Association honors Owen Lewis as TCA Highway Angel

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) recently recognized Owen Lewis, a truck driver for Sharp Transportation, as its newest TCA Highway Angel for his actions after witnessing a vehicle crash on Interstate 80 in Iowa.

On the morning of November 9, Lewis was traveling westbound on I-80 near Harlan, Iowa, when he saw a car traveling eastbound lose control and crash.

“I thought, ‘OK, let’s make sure everything is OK,’” he said, and he pulled over. “When I got there, the car was about 100 feet or so off the side of the highway down in an irrigation ditch.”

Upon approaching the wreck, Lewis found a young woman—identified as Cora—walking up the side of the hill. Uninjured but cold, the woman called 911, then her parents, and then sat in Lewis’ truck to stay warm. Telling him she had fallen asleep at the wheel, the two sat inside the truck together until the Iowa State Patrol arrived.

In a message to Lewis’ employer, the family expressed deep gratitude: “We are very grateful for his kindness and how he kept her safe and warm until the state trooper got to the scene. Owen is a model employee who your company is lucky to have on board. We appreciate what he did for our daughter yesterday!” 

For his part, Lewis said, “I’ve always felt like if something happens, I need to stop and make sure everything is OK.”

Lily Transportation provides logistics for the VA Boston Healthcare System’s annual “Operation Turkey Drop”

For the fifth consecutive year, Lily Transportation volunteers partnered with the Salvation Army to deliver turkeys for the VA Boston Healthcare System’s annual “Operation Turkey Drop” at its Jamaica Plain VA campus in Boston.

Lily set up the logistical support the week before Thanksgiving, positioning two 18-wheeler freezer trucks to preserve the holiday meals. Mike Stanton, a veteran and Lily’s SVP of operations and compliance, worked with his team and other veteran volunteers to coordinate the pickup, sorting, and delivery of food to the two distribution sites.

“This program is a very special one for the Lily volunteers who have braved the elements for a number of years to ensure that our veterans have a much-deserved and enjoyable Thanksgiving meal,” Stanton said.

The program delivered more than $14,000 worth of Thanksgiving food and meals to veterans across Massachusetts, including over 320 turkeys, hams, pies, carrots, onions, pans, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy mix, and other Thanksgiving meal essentials.

Advantage Truck Group’s Haulin’ 4 Hunger program delivers thousands of holiday meals to food pantries across New England

From December 11–23, Advantage Truck Group (ATG) is teaming up with its employees, customers, and business partners to deliver thousands of meals to food pantry organizations across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, continuing its year-round effort to fight food insecurity in its local communities through its Haulin’ 4 Hunger program.

Since its inception in 2012, Haulin’ 4 Hunger has provided over 98,000 meals and counting to help those in need.

“At ATG, we are committed to fighting food insecurity in our communities through our Haulin’ 4 Hunger program. Haulin’ 4 Hunger was built around the idea of coming together to give back, and we are grateful to our dedicated team members and partners who support us in this important mission,” Kevin G. Holmes, ATG president and CEO, said.

On December 11, ATG employees, customers, and business partners led two caravans of trucks to hand-deliver 4,400 meals of fresh turkey with all the trimmings to eight food pantry organizations in Worcester and other Central Massachusetts communities. The annual Haulin’ 4 Hunger donation of fresh turkey meals was to Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Friendly House, Jeremiah’s Inn, Marlborough Community Cupboard, South Worcester Neighborhood Center, St. Anne’s Human Services, Veterans Inc., and Westborough Food Pantry.

From December 12–23, ATG will deliver thousands of non-perishable meals as it makes its fourth-quarter Haulin’ 4 Hunger donation to six community food pantry organizations near ATG dealerships in Southeastern and Western Massachusetts, and in New Hampshire and Vermont. Non-perishable meals of canned chicken, Ramen noodles, stuffing, canned peas, and a dessert will be donated to Lancaster Food Pantry, LISTEN Food Pantry, Our Community Table, Our Place Drop-In Center, Our Daily Bread, and Seabrook Food Pantry. This year, ATG will distribute over 12,000 non-perishable meals through its quarterly Haulin' 4 Hunger donations.

Now in its 13th year, Haulin’ 4 Hunger continues to grow. This past June, ATG expanded its fresh meal donations into New Hampshire, delivering the first of what will be an annual donation to a local food pantry near its Manchester location.  

“The holidays are particularly challenging for those who are unsure where they will get their next meal. Continued support from our Haulin' 4 Hunger donations makes a meaningful difference for local food pantries and the people they support,” Sara Harrington, ATG director of marketing, said. 

Estes honors national nonprofits on the open road

Estes Express Lines recently wrapped up a multi-month celebration honoring nine national nonprofits through its Open Heart, Open Road Employee-Directed Giving campaign. As part of this annual charitable initiative, Estes transformed more than 80 of its fleet’s trailers into mobile billboards to drive awareness nationwide to the causes that matter most to its employees. Estes’ employees vote each November to determine the allocation of the company’s monetary contributions through Open Heart, Open Road.  

From April through October at its Richmond headquarters, Estes hosted ribbon-cutting events with representatives of the featured nonprofits to unveil the customized, wrapped trailers. 

The timing of the events spotlighted each charity's work. For example, the Operation Homefront trailers debuted just ahead of the September 11 anniversary to honor military families and veterans, and the Active Minds wraps launched during National Suicide Prevention Month to encourage conversations about mental health.

The ceremonies for 2025’s series of customized trailers followed the ribbon cutting for the American Diabetes Association’s wrapped trailers in late 2024. Estes plans to reveal the next trailer wraps in early 2026 for the Children’s Miracle Network. And over the next several years, these customized trailers will spread their messages of hope to millions of motorists from coast to coast.

“Bringing these wraps to life is a powerful reminder of how deeply our team cares about giving back,” Sara Graf, VP of sustainability, culture, and communications, said. “We were honored to celebrate with each organization in person and are proud to carry their missions across the country, mile after mile.”