U-Haul volunteers teamed with Habitat for Humanity on Dec. 15, working side-by-side with Alma and her daughter, Jaelene, to build their new Phoenix home.
The family has been living in a small apartment with yearly rent increases. The rent has been raised to the point where it is no longer affordable for them.
Despite their challenges, the family remains positive, motivated and hopeful. Alma is teaching her daughters the importance of hard work through the Habitat for Humanity program.
Team U-Haul Gives Back
U-Haul Team Members were honored to assist the family in its goal of building a home. “It’s a privilege to be able to give back to others,” noted Eva Franco, U-Haul Lead Utility Billing & Analysis. “Being raised by a single mother, I know firsthand what it’s like to go without. I always remember the people that helped us along the way.”
Helping organizations that focus on meeting people’s basic human needs has long been within the scope of U-Haul Company’s community outreach.
“I volunteer because it’s the right thing to do. To spend some time helping others doesn’t cost me a thing, and I enjoy the work we do when we volunteer,” said Courtney Neyra, U-Haul Payroll Manager.
Thanks to its many volunteers, it has been possible for U-Haul to follow through with its community mission on a consistent basis.
Building the Community
Team U-Haul arrived at 8 a.m. and spent the day moving piles of dirt from one side of the lot to another and building walls that comprised the skeleton of the home. There was a huge transformation from the time U-Haul volunteers arrived until they left. Team Members bonded with volunteers from other companies as everyone joined together to impact the lives of the Marquez family.
U-Haul Team Members are proud to work for a company that values giving back. “It shows our community that we care about the people around us,” Franco said. “It shows that we are all the same. Just people connecting with one another.”
