GREENVILLE, Tenn. — Each Veterans Day, Nov. 11, the nation remembers and honors those who have served in the military during peacetime and war.
The trucking industry itself has many veterans among its fleets, and throughout the month of November, one company is giving back veterans.
Greenville, Tennessee-based Forward Air, an LTL truckload provider with more than 200 locations throughout the country, will be raising funds for Hope for the Warriors through sales made via its company store. Forward Air employs thousands of drivers, many of whom are veterans.
Hope For the Warriors provides support programs for service members, veterans and military families who are focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement and connections to community resources.
“We align to their mission and vision,” said Kyle Mitchin, chief people officer for Forward air. “Ninety percent of every dollar goes to their charity and veterans.”
One of their programs, Drive for Hope, has partnered with Forward Air.
Mitchin says the veteran mindset, particularly when it comes to leadership and work ethic, is a great fit for a company like Forward Air.
Drive for Hope is a driving program designed to help service members and veterans regain the independence that they lost because of a catastrophic injury. It equips veterans with vehicles designed to meet their needs.
“As a driving company, we saw an extreme alignment with that program,” Mitchin said.
Mitchin says that throughout the year, Forward Air’s company store donates $1 of every purchase to charity. In November, that becomes a $5 contribution. On top of that, the company matches those $5 donations 100% during November.
Aside from the donations made through the company store, there’s the Annual Drive for Hope Golf Outing, which was delayed until 2022 due to COVID-19. The first golf outing, held at Chateau Elan near Atlanta, raised $375,000. Mitchin said the goal for 2023 is $500,000.
Supporting veterans fits well into Forward Air’s DNA, according to Mitchin. He said it was an easy decision for the company to support these heroes.
“We’re very proud of the veterans in our company and proud to support the veterans in our country,” Mitchin said.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
