December 26, 2021

Community Raises $5,347 and more than 2,000 Pounds/20 Barrels of Food for Local Organizations at EquipmentShare Light Show Event


                                                                    The company collected public donations at its “Santa’s Work Crew Light Show” event.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Local organizations providing services to those who need it most this holiday season received a gift of their own after EquipmentShare’s “Santa’s Work Crew” light show last week. EquipmentShare, one of the fastest-growing equipment rental companies in the nation, hosted its annual holiday drive-through light display from December 15 to 18 to benefit the community and spread holiday cheer. At the event, the community came together to raise $5,347 and more than 2,000 pounds/20 barrels of food to benefit the Voluntary Action Center (VAC) Holiday Family Program and The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. 

“Last year, the community raised $4,000 for the holiday program and donated 1,462 pounds of food at our light show event,” Danielle Schlacks, member of EquipmentShare’s executive support team, said. “This year, we wanted to beat that record and help VAC and the Food Bank provide even more essential resources to our neighbors this holiday season. That’s what this event is about, and we can’t thank the community enough for their donations.” 

Visitors donated at least $5 to VAC’s Holiday Family Program or gave non-perishable food items to the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri to enter the light show. The food donations will be used to feed families and individuals experiencing food insecurity throughout Boone County, Mo. Around 3,000 vehicles drove through the light show. 

“Our Holiday Family Program will provide gifts, household necessities, food and gift cards to local families in our community who need assistance during the holidays,” VAC Holiday Program Coordinator Christy Lowe said. “These families deserve to have a joyful holiday, and this program helps them do that. It’s a testament to our community’s compassion for their neighbors who are struggling. This year, we are serving 1,075 families."

The event featured a winter wonderland-turned-construction site with festively lit equipment, music, treats, a nativity scene and Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Community organizations from the area, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri, The Dream Factory of Central Missouri, Primrose Hill and Coyote Hill, were invited to attend the first night of the display. 

“We hope through our partnership with EquipmentShare, we can raise awareness about BBBS and find mentors for our over 100 youth who are waiting for a friend,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri’s Executive Director Ann Merrifield said. There are more than 100 children and teenagers within the BBBS of Central Missouri program who are in need of a “Big” mentor.  

Through the event, EquipmentShare hoped to raise awareness for life-changing community resource programs in the greater Columbia, Mo., area. 

About EquipmentShare
Headquartered in Columbia, Mo., EquipmentShare is a nationwide construction solutions provider dedicated to solving industry pain points through smart jobsite technology and equipment rental, retail and service centers. EquipmentShare’s cloud-connected platform, T3, is powered by telematics and machine hardware to give construction and industrial companies a real-time view into their jobsite and operations. EquipmentShare’s enterprise suite of apps is OEM-agnostic and can track and manage any piece of equipment, regardless of brand, to help fleet managers monitor assets, prevent theft and machine misuse, track employee hours and shifts, increase machine utilization, streamline maintenance and prevent unplanned downtime. Founded in 2014, EquipmentShare employs nearly 3,000 team members of diverse perspectives that push the boundaries of possibilities to create unparalleled customer value, support their communities and empower construction professionals to work more efficiently. EquipmentShare’s growing presence of locations, which includes equipment and service yards, research and development sites, dealerships for major brands, administrative offices and specialty solutions locations, serve the rising demand for the company’s equipment and digital solutions. To learn more, visit equipmentshare.com.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri (BBBSCMO)
BBBSCMO’s mission is to create and support one-to-one relationships between adult mentors and children to ignite the power and promise of youth in communities. As an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, BBBSCMO utilizes research-based mentoring practices to develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of hundreds of young people in mid-Missouri. BBBSCMO has supported the youth of mid-Missouri for over 50 years. To learn more and become a Big, visit bigsofcentralmo.org.

About Voluntary Action Center of Missouri
Voluntary Action Center (VAC) is a social services organization serving low-income individuals and families in Boone County, Missouri. VAC bridges the gaps between crisis and stability and helps people experiencing hardships by providing resources for basic and emergency needs. Through education, employment, health and housing, they help families and individuals maintain self-sufficiency. For more information, visit vacmo.org.


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