Toys Still Needed to Help Local Kids through The BIG Give

FreightCenter’s second annual toy drive, The BIG Give, comes to an end on Dec. 17. The drive supports Toys for Tots in Pinellas County, a program founded by Marines to provide gifts to less fortunate children at Christmas. The BIG Give is the largest collaborative toy drive in the area.

Visit any Publix store in Pinellas County before Dec. 17 to donate during the drive’s final days. There is still a great need – more than 2,250 families in Pinellas registered to receive toys to give to their children on Christmas day.

“As a veteran-owned business, we firmly believe in the Marines’ mission to help children in our area experience joy this holiday season,” said Matt Brosious, CEO and co-founder, FreightCenter. “We’re extremely committed to drives and events that support our local community, and are confident that all local businesses and customers share our common purpose of helping those in need.”

The BIG Give works to support participating stores as well as Toys for Tots by simplifying the labor-intensive toy collection process. At the end of the drive, FreightCenter collects toys from Publix in a 53-foot freight truck, provided by Smith Transport, LLC, then delivers them to the Toys for Tots warehouse.

Sponsors receive a complimentary logo placement on the freight truck. Among the returning program sponsors are FreightCenter, Publix Super Markets and FASTSIGNS of Palm Harbor. Working together, these local businesses are proud to provide a positive service to the community this holiday season.

For more information about how you can participate in The BIG Give, contact Alyssa Patenaude at apatenaude@freightcenter.com.

About Toys for Tots Pinellas

The Toys for Tots program is managed through the Toys for Tots Foundation and normally locally led by the Marine Corps Reserves.  The Pinellas County program is led by a former Marine and we work closely with the Marine Corps Reserve Center located in Tampa, Florida. All Toys for Tots programs rely heavily on the local community to provide support.  Most obviously, we need new, unwrapped toys for children ages zero to 12, but more specifically, we are always in need for toys for both boys and girls ages 10 to 12 and zero to 1.

About Smith Transport, LLC

Smith Transport was founded in late 1985 and is an employee-owned truckload and warehousing company. The company has grown from operating five tractors to nearly 1,000 units. Warehousing space now approaches 2,000,000 square feet.  Headquartered in the small town of Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, away from large cities and industrial areas, the company remains committed to small town values and big-time customer solutions remains unwavering.

About FASTSIGNS of Palm Harbor

FASTSIGNS® of Palm Harbor, FL is more than ready to help you solve your sign, graphic and visual communications challenges. Using our marketing and signage knowledge, technology and project management experience, we use custom signs, banners and graphics to help you increase your business visibility. Whether you need a comprehensive solution or a single sign, banner or graphic, FASTSIGNS is so much more than just a sign company.

About Publix Super Markets, Inc.

Publix is privately owned and operated by its 200,000 employees, with 2016 sales of $34 billion. Currently Publix has 1,144 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina. The company has been named one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for 20 consecutive years. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business.

About FreightCenter

Headquartered in Tampa Bay since 1998, FreightCenter is one of first third-party logistics provider to offer online rating and booking technology to the freight industry. FreightCenter has been widely recognized in the industry for its growth, culture, philanthropy, and commitment to the supply chain. FreightCenter specializes in less-than-truckload, truckload, international, parcel, and transportation management services for small to medium size businesses of various sizes and industries.

About FreightCenter

FreightCenter is a third-party logistics provider (3PL) that has been offering shipping and freight services to e-trailers, businesses, and individuals internationally for the past 25 years. They provide customized transportation solutions for different industries and specialize in freight shipping, LTL (less-than-truckload), and FTL (full-truckload). With a focus on innovation and customer service, FreightCenter is committed to making shipping easy and affordable for all its customers.