Maryland Waste Management truck driver, Arnold Harvey and his wife have been making a big difference for families in need.
It all started back in 2007 when Harvey – a 57 year-old Army vet, and father of 5 – was on his route through the D.C. suburbs. This was when he first noticed the signs of tough times. Between 2 a.m. and 12 p.m., he encountered numerous families sleeping in the streets near a shelter.
Seeing this moved Harvey to find a way to help. He expressed his concerns to his brother (William) and the two documented the living conditions of the families on their route. Harvey then presented the footage to his Waste Management manager – and asked what the company could do to help.
It was then that a company-wide collection began for coats and blankets to donate to the needy. Harvey and his wife also made sandwiches to hand out at the shelter on a weekly basis. Eventually, they began a nonprofit called God’s Connection Transition – which provides donations and food to 5,000 families each month from a Gaithersburg warehouse.
Harvey has been able to drum up donations from companies like Pepperidge Farm, Safeway, and Costco to help support his cause.
Churches and food pantries are able to visit his warehouse to collect groceries and supplies for hundreds of families.
Harvey has been working for Waste Management since 1990, and is one of the 50, Fortune 500 employees to be honored as one of the ‘Heroes of the 500.’
– Great work, driver!
Co-Founder Arnold Harvey Sr taking 100lbs of mushrooms to ACS in Silver Spring,MD for those in need #passionategiving pic.twitter.com/18WrhYybjT
— GCT Inc (@GCTINC) December 5, 2013
Sources
God’s Connection Transition
Fortune
People