Company: U-Haul International (Phoenix, AZ)
Company Description: Founded in 1945, U-Haul is the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers with 23,000 rental locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to 192,000 trucks, 138,700 trailers and 39,500 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America with more than 1 million rentable units at Company facilities.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Corporate Responsibility
 Nomination Title: U-Haul Disaster Relief
- Optional: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 105 words used.
Attachments: Excel spreadsheet shows the 32 disaster relief efforts from March 2024 to January 2025, as well as the number of free storage units or containers provided and the monetary value of the donated services.
Multiple video clips attached of TV stations sharing our 30 Days Free Storage Disaster Relief Program offer for hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
U-Haul Disaster Relief Press Releases
https://www.uhaul.com/Archives/3/16/
U-Haul Self-Storage and U-Box Service Pages
https://www.uhaul.com/Storage/
https://www.uhaul.com/UBox/
CNBC “The Exchange”: Live Interview with U-Haul CEO Joe Shoen
Hurricane Milton Disaster Relief Offer amid continuing Hurricane Helene Assistance
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/10/09/u-haul-offers-free-storage-for-all-floridians-due-to-hurricane-milton-says-ceo-joe-shoen.html
- Which will you submit for this nomination, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the nominated PR campaign or program, or written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched:
March 1, 2024 for the purposes of the disaster relief highlighted in this submission.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Describe the genesis of the nominated campaign or program: the reasons it was initiated, the challenges it was created to address, the problems it was developed to solve, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 248 words used.
For decades, U-Haul has been a beacon of support for communities affected by natural disasters. From hurricanes in the Southeast, to tornadoes in the Midwest, to wildfires on the West Coast, countless families can face sudden and life-changing events each year. Natural disasters can lead to evacuation, residential damage or permanent displacement. In these moments of crisis, local U-Haul teams in the impacted communities step up to offer the Company’s 30 Days Free Storage Disaster Relief Program. The goodwill program allows people to bring their valued family belongings to participating U-Haul-owned and -operated centers and receive free use of a traditional self-storage unit or a U-Box portable storage container for one month. The service gives families the peace of mind that comes with a dry, secure location to safeguard their items at no cost while they deal with the more pressing matter of family safety.
The reason the U-Haul Disaster Relief Program was initiated is simple: there is almost always an immediate need for secure storage options when communities seek to prepare for, or recover from, natural disasters. As one of North America’s largest and most trusted self-storage providers, U-Haul has the infrastructure, logistics and compassion to execute this initiative. In addition to its own disaster relief program, U-Haul also proudly serves as an official American Red Cross Disaster Responder. Officially establishing the partnership in 2015 after years of support, U-Haul provides the Red Cross with trucks, trailers, storage and financial support to carry out its recovery mission.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Describe the development of the campaign or program: the planning process, the goal setting, the creative and media development, the scheduling, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 241 words used.
The U-Haul Media and Public Relations team, as well as local U-Haul field teams, regularly monitor weather reports to identify potential natural disasters on the horizon. By staying ahead of predictable events, we can often anticipate needs and prepare to assist affected communities swiftly. A proactive approach allows us to mobilize resources, communicate with regional presidents and store general managers, and ensure that the U-Haul 30 Days Free Storage Disaster Relief Program is approved and ready to go for those who need it most. Knowing that some events like flash floods, a tornado or wildfire outbreak, or a shift in the path of a hurricane are unpredictable, our teams are likewise ready to respond on a dime after a disaster occurs so that relief assistance is available as soon as possible.
Once the program is approved and the participating stores are identified, the U-Haul Media and PR team seeks to amplify the goodwill offer so those in need are made aware. This is accomplished via a state or national press release, targeted media emails to the affected communities, contacting national weather agencies such as The Weather Channel and Fox Weather, posting to uhaul.com and our myuhaulstory.com blog site, and sharing through our multiple U-Haul social media platforms (X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Our corporate team, local traffic teams and general managers are all made aware of the offer and stand prepared to direct customers in need upon being contacted.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this fourth question: Outline the activities and concrete results of this campaign or program since the beginning of 2023. Even if your initiative started before 2023, limit your response to activities and results since the beginning of 2023 only (up to 250 words):
Total 249 words used.
The 2024 calendar year was filled with natural disasters and demanded U-Haul extend its disaster relief on a scale previously unseen. From the ramped tornado outbreaks across the Midwest in May, to the widespread devastation of Hurricanes Francine, Helene and Milton across the Southeast (particularly North Carolina and Florida) in September and October, the need for corporate responsibility through support and free services was clear. The Southern California wildfire outbreak in January continued the trend of extreme natural disasters into 2025. Through it all, U-Haul has been there to lend a hand.
From March 2024 through January 2025, U-Haul offered its 30 Days Free Storage Disaster Relief Program at 725 Company centers to assist during 32 separate disaster relief efforts. As a result, 29,665 customers came to U-Haul requesting one month of free storage and were provided with a self-storage room or U-Box container at no cost. Of those 29,665, some 71% (21,072 customers) were impacted by the hurricanes in fall 2024, including a large number of families in western North Carolina following the unimaginable flooding caused by Helene.
The monetary value of U-Haul support given from 29,665 months of free storage across the 32 disaster relief efforts equates to precisely $4,081,011. It marks the first time U-Haul has provided more than $4 million worth of relief assistance in the span of a year during the Company’s storied 80-year history. We’re blessed to have been able to help and make a significant difference.
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