Recently Transit Systems received a call from Carol Carlson looking for a quote to ship 115 boxes of food, warm coats, sturdy shoes, school books, children’s toys and many more of the things that most of us take for granted. With her passion for helping children and families rise above poverty, Carol makes a difference in people’s lives; more specifically, those of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks to those who built the foundation of our land. And what better way to give thanks than by helping kids gets the food and clothing that they need – kids whose forebears helped make the first Thanksgiving possible.
Recently Transit Systems received a call from Carol Carlson looking for a quote to ship 115 boxes of food, warm coats, sturdy shoes, school books, children’s toys and many more of the things that most of us take for granted. With her passion for helping children and families rise above poverty, Carol makes a difference in people’s lives; more specifically, those of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Pine Ridge is the poorest place in the United States. Unemployment is over 80%. Many homes do not have adequate heat. Elders are forced to raise their small grandchildren and great grandchildren because the high suicide rate takes so many young adults. Crime, gang problems, alcoholism and teen pregnancy run rampant. Dental and medical care don’t reach people in need because of transportation problems and cultural barriers. The need for donations is huge. Carol solicits donations from many sources including schools, church groups and senior groups. She has done such a great job that she was unable to transport everything on her own. Looking for a shipping company to help her, she called Transit Systems to ask if we would discount our price. We did. And then we did more. Because how could we not?
We picked up the 115 boxes, eliminated our profit, and paid half of the remaining basic cost – leaving Carol with more money in her pocket to help the kids and families of Pine Ridge. Here’s Carol describing the result: “The pickup went wonderfully smooth. The driver was wonderful. It took us about an hour to load the boxes into the truck where he put them on pallets and shrink wrapped them in place. “We heard from Rose, our contact at Pine Ridge a week ago. She said a man had showed up at her building asking if she could help him find a pair of shoes before winter came. He had not had new shoes in over 5 years and Rose said she couldn’t figure out how what he had on his feet could even stay on his feet (they were that tattered). From our previous shipment she found a pair of shoes to give to him. She said she encouraged him to come back next week so she could help him find a coat too. This shipment includes 9 big boxes of coats! “Thank you for your part in making a difference to the neediest among us. Without TSI we couldn’t have done this.”
To Carol: During this time of the year especially, we are so thankful for your call and being able to help you and your friends at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. You have our promise that we will continue to help.
To all of you: Please take a minute to visit the Friends of Pine Ridge website to find out how you can help this holiday season! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
About the author: Stephanie Rosenlund is the Director of Strategic Solutions at TSI, the long distance move and shipment provider for thousands of businesses, families, and individuals every year. Stephanie knows all the tips and tricks to make your move or shipment simple and specializes in freight shipping and interstate relocations. In her free time, she loves exploring the world with her husband and two kids.
