After Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina hard on September 28, 2024, Buchanan Hauling & Rigging and Buchanan Logistics took action to help. They started their “Fill the Truck” campaign, showcasing how working together as a community and taking responsibility can lead to positive change in tough times.
THE CAMPAIGN: A CHALLENGE TO FILL 20 TRUCKS
On October 3, 2024, based on the desire of an employee wanting to help North Carolina, Buchanan Hauling & Rigging and Buchanan Logistics launched the “Fill the Truck” campaign. Their goal was to fill 20 semi-trucks with essential supplies for hurricane victims. Inspired by the company’s past relief work during Hurricane Katrina, owner Geary Buchanan challenged employees, local businesses, and Northeast Indiana residents to join in and help those in need.
Employees drew inspiration from their core company values of Determination, Integrity, Safety, and Community to come together and make things happen. The campaign collected donations of non-perishable food, hygiene items, clothing, and other essential goods to be delivered directly to affected areas in North Carolina, including Asheville and Alexandria.
UNITING THE COMMUNITY
The Fort Wayne community responded with overwhelming generosity. Local businesses, radio & television stations, and individuals came together to support the cause in inspiring ways:
- WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM & 1190 AM, 98.9 The Bear, K105, 97.3 WMEE, and 1380 The Fan, would broadcast live from Buchanan Logistics to promote the campaign across their airwaves and encourage listeners to get involved.
- WANE 15, 21 Alive, and WFFT 55 televised on location multiple times to help spread the word.
- A long list of local companies made significant contributions, including:
Indiana Millwright Services, Swallows Landscape Services, Sonrise Church, Brookside Church, American Health & Wellness and Mike Weiss, Home Sweet Home In-Home Care, Cherry Hill Golf Club, Autumn Ridge Golf Club, Rodger, Diane, & Grant Delarange, Integrity Financial Advisors, Inc., Don Ayres Honda, Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation, Kelly Box & Packaging, Key Spouses, Mike Swinford, Orion Safety Products, Co-Tronix, PDQ-Workholding - Columbia City, Pretzels, Inc. - Bluffton, Sunbelt Rentals, PTR Premier Truck Rental, C3 Construction Services, Pet Supplies Plus, Roller Dome North, Pyromation, Inc., Grain and Berry (Fort Wayne), Select Medical Rehabilitation Hospital, Heartland Hospice, Cornwell Tools, Fort Wayne Turners, St. John Catholic Church, Master Spas, Kappa Delta Phi Sorority - Psi Rho Chapter Hamilton, IN, JAT of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne Janitorial Supply, Fort Wayne Generators, American Legion Post #47, and so many more they were hard to keep track of!
Local schools (Homestead and Central Noble) and local businesses even opened their doors to serve as donation drop-off points, amplifying the community’s ability to get involved.
STEADY PROGRESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
From the start, the campaign gained momentum:
- By October 5, the first truck was loaded and headed to North Carolina, and added collection days to Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th.
- By October 9, seven trucks had been filled, and Buchanan extended their collection through another weekend and until Friday, October 18th as donations continued to pour in.
- On October 11, the campaign reached 16 trucks, with more loading underway.
- By October 18, the campaign successfully reached its goal, we would be able to fill all 20 trucks, plus another 2 trucks through additional late donations and assurance by Buchanan's ownership with essential supplies for North Carolina’s recovery efforts.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND EXTENDED EFFORTS
Alongside physical donations, the “Fill the Truck” campaign received generous financial support. Buchanan employees contributed, which then, the owners, Geary and Becky Buchanan matched. Local businesses, individuals, and community groups gave and added to the public Go-Fund-Me campaign we were able to meet our 20-truckload goal and fill the trucks with supplies needed to help.
IMPACT ON NORTH CAROLINA
Buchanan’s campaign has had a strong impact in North Carolina. Drivers Johnny and Crystal, who delivered many of the trucks, shared pictures showing the damage and the ongoing relief work. Their updates gave a close-up view of how these donations were helping communities recover from Hurricane Helene.
In total, 20 fully loaded trucks will travel from Fort Wayne to North Carolina, bringing essential supplies to the areas that needed them the most. The campaign united people, businesses, and organizations, showing how effective teamwork can be during tough times.
A COMMUNITY THAT CARES
The “Fill the Truck” campaign shows how generous the Fort Wayne community is and highlights the commitment of Buchanan Hauling & Rigging and Buchanan Logistics to help others. With the support of local residents, they have made a significant impact on the lives of those affected by Hurricane Helene. As the final trucks arrive in North Carolina, Buchanan is celebrating the community spirit that made this accomplishment possible.
A big thank you to everyone who donated, volunteered, and shared the news. Together, we have filled both trucks and hearts, providing much-needed aid to those in need.
