For most people, weekends are for taking it easy. But for dedicated U-Haul® volunteers, it’s a time to get to work doing good for their community.
Twenty U-Haul Team Members gathered on a recent Saturday morning in Phoenix, where the Company has been headquartered since 1967, to pack more than 1,540 HelloFresh® bags at St. Mary’s Food Bank’s main warehouse for neighbors in need.
U-Haul has partnered with St. Mary’s, a respected nonprofit, for decades to address Arizona’s food insecurity crisis.
Thanks to a partnership with HelloFresh, Arizonans in need can now receive both a regular emergency food box and a bag with ingredients and instructions for ready-to-make HelloFresh meals. These meals, which include options like veggie and chicken pasta or black-bean chili, are balanced and healthy options for all.
Working Together
Matt Braccia, president of AMERCO Real Estate Co., the real estate arm of U-Haul Holding Co., showed up loud and proud to help pack bags with his wife Dana and son Jeff, who works as a U-Haul account executive.
“This was my first time volunteering at St. Mary’s Food Bank,” Braccia said. “I love getting involved with organizations that directly impact the local community. So when this service opportunity came up, it felt like a great time for me and my family to come and help.
“It was a fantastic experience — well-organized, energetic, and fun. The process was fast-paced and collaborative. Everyone had a role, whether it was assembling bags, sealing them or stacking boxes for delivery. It was amazing to see how much we could accomplish together in just a few hours.”
Abandoning Comfort Zones
U-Haul account representative Elizabeth Sagasta was also a first-time St. Mary’s volunteer. She participated after being encouraged by U-Haul colleagues.
“They motivated me and got me out of my comfort zone,” Sagasta stated. “I’m a shy person, and something like this would normally intimidate me. But having people from my team there made it a lot easier and more fun. I will do it again. I even talked my husband into coming with me next time.
“Volunteering only took a little time out of my day. I would recommend that everyone try something like this once.”
Sagasta is grateful that U-Haul provides so many service opportunities.
“It’s awesome to see everything we do for the community through volunteering and helping people in need,” she continued. “I’m so proud and honored to be a U-Haul Team Member.”
Read more about U-Haul Company’s partnership with St. Mary’s Food Bank by clicking here.
