Editor鈥檚 note: This story is part of our 鈥�50 Stories of People Helping People鈥� series. As we celebrate 笔别苍蝉办别鈥檚 50th anniversary in 2019, we are spotlighting associates every Friday who are making a difference in their communities.
Heroes like Superman and Batman watch over others in the community and are always looking out for the little guy. But, not all heroes wear capes. Just like superheroes, moms are no strangers to caring for others and helping those in need.
A recent example of this can be seen in Detroit, Michigan 鈥� not Metropolis or Gotham City 鈥� where one mother has been leaving a huge impact on her hometown.
Ericka Woods, a load planner for , is the founder of 1Mother2Another, an organization she started in 2014 to help people living in Detroit. Volunteering was always something she enjoyed, but her group started with another purpose as well.
鈥淕rowing up, my son had behavioral issues,鈥� said Woods. 鈥淚t was tough, and I struggled with finding a network of mothers who could relate to my situation. I was looking for a group of people I could talk to and share advice.鈥�
So, she did just that. Woods founded 1Mother2Another, which not only satisfied her appetite for volunteering, but also gave her an avenue to meet other mothers going through similar challenges.
鈥淭his group serves as a great bonding tool for me and so many other women because we鈥檒l volunteer, but also give each other advice and just talk,鈥� said Woods.
Every month, she and dozens of other women volunteer and spearhead several community initiatives. And one of their more popular events is a fundraiser they call 鈥淪ock-Tober.鈥�
Pictured is 糖心传媒 Logistics associate Ericka Woods.
鈥淭hroughout the entire month of October, we collect new socks,鈥� said Woods. 鈥淥ctober 2019 will mark our fourth year doing this, and each year it has gotten bigger. Last year, I collected 3,000 pairs of socks.鈥�
In November, she and her team distribute the socks to several homeless shelters, as well as to all-women鈥檚 homes and Detroit public schools. She says that sock donations come from a variety of businesses, colleges and individuals.
When asked why socks, the Michigan associate says it was simple.
鈥淲hen my son and I would volunteer at homeless shelters, I noticed that many people didn鈥檛 have socks or had socks with holes in them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey told me they receive a lot of great donations, but they would appreciate new socks.鈥�
Now a couple of years in, the sock drive continues to grow, despite starting with advertising that consisted of social media and word of mouth.
鈥淵ears ago, I decided to reach out to radio stations and newspapers to help spread the message about our fundraiser,鈥� Woods said. 鈥淚 figured the worst thing they can say is 鈥榥o.鈥� But, most of them were generous enough to share our story. After all, the whole idea is to get the community together, so we can help more people.鈥�
Earlier this year, Woods was presented with the Spirit of Detroit award for her outstanding service to the citizens of the Motor City; and in 2017, she was featured in a Cheerios commercial in their 鈥淕ood Goes Round鈥� campaign. She says that giving back has always been and will continue to be important to her.
By Chris Abruzzo
Matthew Witman, Payroll intern
Fatima Odebisi, Marketing intern
Brendan Clark, Billing Operations intern
Bobby Kemp, Marketing intern
Caption: U.S. Navy Reserves honoring employers for their support.
Source: Industrial Truck Association
Thompson
When asked what she enjoys most about her job, she says, 鈥淣o truck is the same. Whether it's a Freightliner, Hino, Volvo or something else, I get exposed to a bunch of different brands and models of vehicles. I really like that."