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(UPDATED) Hurricane Harvey Donation Drive Unites Austin Tech at uShip HQ

UPDATE (as of September 26, 2017)

uShip is very proud to have been the donation hub for several Austin companies that came together to help victims of Hurricane Harvey the week of August 28. Our friends at theChive also worked with Triple G Relief, former “Chivers,” to be the “boots on the ground” and distribute all the goods.

We want to thank our community, more than 25 Austin-area companies, that joined together to help fill a 26-foot truck bound for Rockport and Refugio with diapers, generators, bottled water, pet food, and so much more. Together, we collected more than 150 cases of bottled water, more than 50 bags of dog food, more than 8,000 adult and child diapers, and 12 fans, 4 generators, and 10 shop vacs.

A big round of applause goes to these companies for joining forces and for their dedication to helping those in need:

Aceable, API Abroad, Austin Fraser, Bespoke Partners, Bunkhouse, Colliers International, Favor, fiServe, FIT Austin, Invodo, Juice Society, Merrill Lynch, Orange Coworking, OutboundEngine, Personify, Pfluger Associates, Princeton Review, Run Title, Sagebrook Nursing & Rehab, Sir Speedy Printing, Springbox, SVB, T&C General Contractors, Techstars, theCHIVE, Trendkite Logos

Aceable, API Abroad, Austin Fraser, Bespoke Partners, Bunkhouse, Colliers International, Favor, fiServe, FIT Austin, Invodo, Juice Society, Merrill Lynch, Orange Coworking, OutboundEngine, Personify, Pfluger Associates, Princeton Review, Run Title, Sagebrook Nursing & Rehab, Sir Speedy Printing, Springbox, SVB, T&C General Contractors, Techstars, theCHIVE, Trendkite

 

12 fans, 4 generators, and 10 shop vacs – some heavy duty items donated for Hurricane Harvey cleanup efforts, September 2017. “The Wall of Diapers” – over 8,000 adult and child diapers were donated for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, September 2017.

After unloading the trucks the first day, volunteers prepared about 600 meals for the local first responders and volunteers clearing rubbish in neighborhoods. As they drove around to deliver food and supplies, they were able to see just how important the donation efforts were after the devastation.

Working together, we made it possible to serve over 30,000 plates of food – surpassing Triple G Relief’s largest of 12 relief deployments in just three weeks.

Local first responders get a much-deserved meal during Hurricane Harvey disaster relief efforts in southeast Texas, September, 2017. Towns like Rockport and Refugio suffered great damage to their streets and infrastructure from Hurricane Harvey, September 2017.

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(Original story:)

Hurricane Harvey has directly impacted many uShippers’ friends and family from Houston and the surrounding areas of Port Aransas, Rockport, Corpus Christi, Beaumont and Louisiana. As our extended family is surviving through this life-changing disaster, uShip is taking immediate action and rallying the troops to provide aid and donations.

uShip was founded with a philanthropic ideal, so it was only natural to help our friends in need. “When there is an opportunity to leverage our company and people to ship resources to those in need, we do it,” says Bud Holtfort, Director, People Operations. “In fact, on Saturday, when disaster struck, local companies contacted us assuming we would lead the way and fill that charitable role as always. We are local. We are from Texas. We’re just doing the right thing,” said Bud.

Austin tech companies and others made enough donations at uShip’s headquarters to fill a 26-foot box truck bound for the Houston area.

uShip, an Austin-based online shipping marketplace, is mobilizing efforts by opening its doors at its Riverside headquarters at 205 E. Riverside Drive and serving as the collection center for donations (in partnership with other Austin companies like TheChive, Aceable, Box, Everfest, Invodo, Boundless Network, and several others still coming forward). Donations will be accepted through the end of the week and will ship out this Labor Day weekend to Texas-based relief organizations including the American Red Cross, food banks, animal shelters, and others.

uShip is also accepting donations sent via Amazon Prime to its Riverside headquarters and cash donations sent via Venmo to [email protected] or @uship-inc.  In addition to physical goods, uShip has raised $7,000 in cash – $3,500 through employees that uShip has matched.

In addition, several uShip carriers immediately called to help. “Carriers called to say, ‘You know how to get stuff around the world. If you can gather donations, I will get it there for you,’” said Ingrid McLain, Manager of Customer Success. Carriers have donated Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) and generators, for example.

The tech community in Austin is a very strong network with tight bonds, so it’s no surprise that they would come together to assist neighbors in dire need just a few hours down the road. Many other major international tech companies such as Apple and Google are contributing to the hurricane relief, too, as they have additional offices in Texas with employees affected by the hurricane.

uShip dogs help collect donations for their fur friends.

Items collected from uShip employees, friends, and family continue to roll in. Requested items include:

Non-perishable food, including baby formula and baby/toddler food packets
Bottled water
Personal hygiene items – diapers, hygiene items, Depends, baby bottles, baby formula
Pet food and pet essentials
Insect repellant
Hand sanitizer, baby wipes, Lysol
Shovels, rakes, hoes, chain saws, shop vacs, industrial/shop brooms
Work gloves, buckets, large/industrial trash bags
Flash lights, batteries, extension cords
Tarps
Gas cans
Foam ear plugs, safety glasses
Diabetic syringes
Tylenol, Aspirin
Childrens’ toys (non-electronic), crayons, puzzles, paper, coloring books

Truck with hurricane clean up supplies
Truck loaded up and ready to help those in need.

Hurricane Harvey has had an unprecedented impact on southeast Texas. “Parts of Houston, the United States’ fourth largest city, will be uninhabitable for weeks and possibly months due to water damage, mold, disease-ridden water and all that will follow this 1,000-year flood,” said AccuWeather president Joel Myers.

Recovery will be long for millions of people and thousands of businesses, but Texas spirit shines through – people are joining together and reaching out to lift up their neighbors in need.

If you would like to contact uShip for Hurricane Harvey Relief, please email [email protected].