The Help Heroes Heal Campaign

Raising Funds For Wounded Warrior Charities

Sherman Gillums, Jr.

Throughout 2018, AZSA is encouraging self-storage facilities to participate in the Charity Storage Giving Back Program and to conduct auctions to benefit wounded veterans organizations of their choice.

This campaign will culminate in a statewide series of auctions in November 2018, in honor of Veterans Day.

Inspired by Sherman Gillums, Jr., a severely wounded service member turned veterans advocate, and keynote speaker at the Operational Symposium of the 20^th Annual Arizona Self-Storage Conference in September, American Veterans (of which Gillums is Chief Strategy Officer), will also be the beneficiary of the charitable efforts at the AZSA Golf Tournament on Sept. 25, 2018. 

Sherman Gillums, Jr.’s story will motivate, challenge, and energize you to serve those who served and suffered. One of his main points is that everyone can help as a part of their daily life. “Life breaks everyone at some point,” he says. “Whether it’s cancer, loss of a loved one, illness, or injury, we’re all bound by the moment–the duty–to draw upon our inner strength … We’re all in this together … [so] don’t pass the buck and assume someone else will help, because you may be the only one.” 

Be the one.

The late Barry Hoeven of US Storage Centers/Westport Properties co-founded Charity Storage with Lance Watkins, CEO of Storelocal. The Charity Storage Giving Back Program is an opportunity for the self-storage industry to contribute to local, national, and international charities. Owners and managers designate a rental unit as the Charity Storage Unit, collect abandoned and donated items in the unit, and auction the unit off for charity. A charitable donation receipt is provided for all donations.

Charity Storage is the Official Charity Partner of the Self Storage Association and the first national self-storage industry charity. Recently, it has also been named a Charity Partner of the ISS World Expo, Storelocal, and the NVSSA, as well as an Affiliate Member of the AZSA and the CSSA. Charity Storage enables self-storage facilities to utilize existing resources (unleased units and existing auction processes) to raise funds for local, national, and international charities. Ninety percent of auction funds are disbursed to qualifying organizations. Charity Storage is partnered with OpenTech Alliance and www.StorageTreasures.com.

Auctions posted on their platform are free of charge to the facility, and 100 percent of the hammer price is collected at auction close. This makes the whole process even easier to manage for managers and operators.

When enrolled facilities sell the contents of their Charity Storage Unit in a live or online auction, the proceeds are distributed quarterly to the charity chosen by the facility (60 percent), Kure It Cancer Research (20 percent), and the Self Storage Association Foundation Scholarship Program (10 percent). Charity Storage retains 10 percent to help cover administrative costs and is able to accomplish this through Sustaining Sponsorships ($3,000/year commitment) from storage industry operators and vendors.

Don’t miss this chance to come together with other Arizona self-storage operators and Help Heroes Heal!