Some people are impressive, and then some people are IMPRESSIVE. My client YourAutoNetwork.com and it’s owners are two of those people.
Husband and wife, Cary and Carole Lockwood are partnering with the Salvation Army to promote a month-long clothing drive for homeless families who live at the Kaiser Family Center, home to about 450 families a year. Okay, so a lot of companies give back. What’s impressive is that Carole and Cary have set up donation boxes at 50 of their member business locations. This means that they have personally driven to each location, set up a bin and are out there asking for donations…all by themselves. They have locations as far away as Surprise, north to Cave Creek, south to Queen Creek, east to Apache Junction and everything in between. That’s a lot of driving. The Kaiser Family Center is also about commitment. Residents are required to find work within 2 weeks of residing in the shelter. To assist them the Center provides services designed to get them moving forward quickly. In that spirit, the donation drive is designed to find clothes suitable for residents to wear on interviews and hopefully to land that job. The clothing is also needed to supply them with day to day work clothes. Wanna help? Click here for drop off locations.
Susan Felt of the Arizona Republic did a compelling story about the Kaiser Family Center back in January. I’d sure love to know where those families are today who Susan met. They represent but a few of the families who are collateral damage from the “economy of greed,” which will forever be identified with the new millennium.
Back to Carole and Cary. Philanthropy seems to be a natural extension of their business philosophy . YourAutoNetwork.com was founded as an online directory where consumers can find the best automotive related companies in the Valley, and I mean the best. Unlike other directories that let any company buy onto their listing, YourAutoNetwork hand selects only those businesses that been in the Valley for at least 10 years, carry an A rating or better from the Better Business Bureau and also pass a rigorous vetting process. Any hanky panky and you’re out, period.
By the way, the listing is free to access by consumers. So instead of seeing glowing reviews by people who could be a repair shop’s wife, cousins or friends, you’ll find very few comments from consumers. Instead, there are straight forward facts and the reasonable assurance you’ll find a business you can trust.
Cary is a former GM Engineer who has spent his life making sure cars are safe. He also hosts a car-talk radio show on KXXT AM and KXEG AM. He’s a one-man ‘click and clack’ with just as much energy and humor as the other, well-known pair. Check him out, he’s very entertaining.
I have the best job in the world. I only work with interesting people who know that my job is to tell great stories. I don’t sell anything. I like to think that I make the world a better place because I connect reporters with people who have great stories. I’m just the guy in the middle. And to anyone who’s thinking this is very Polly Anna of me, as Robert Ruskin said: “The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.” Me, I’d rather surround myself with people who are always becoming. Don’t you?
