Key Highlights
- Contractors across the country participate in charitable activities, including holiday meal deliveries, disaster relief, and supporting local schools and food banks
- Many companies emphasize that giving back is a core value, helping to build trust, credibility, and lasting relationships within their communities
- Specific initiatives include food drives, adopting children through Angel Tree programs, building beds for foster children, and donating essential home systems to families in need
The holiday season is a time for family, friends and giving thanks. But for some very busy contractors, it’s also a time for giving back. CONTRACTOR magazine has identified a handful of contractors across the country who are giving their customers—and their community—that warm, fuzzy feeling.
Southern Hospitality, Texas-Style
Down in Taylor, Texas, Plumbing Outfitters’ biggest local initiative is its annual ThanksGiveBack Program, now in its sixth year. Each Thanksgiving, the team sources and hand delivers full, hot Thanksgiving meals to families who might otherwise go without. “We work with local school counselors, fire departments, social workers and community organizations to identify families in need. Last year we fed 15 families; this year the goal was 18. It’s one of the most meaningful days of our year,” says Ashley Stroud, Chief Operating Officer, Plumbing Outfitters.
On a more national scale, in 2024, the Plumbing Outfitters team mobilized for an emergency disaster-relief effort in North Carolina after the massive flooding devastated the area. Within days, the team organized and fundraised supplies, traveled across state lines with two completely stocked box trucks and heavy equipment, and spent several days assisting homeowners, clearing debris and partnering with local responders. “It was emotional, exhausting and unforgettable—and it reminded us why the trades matter. Being able to bring comfort and stability to families in crisis felt like the purest form of our mission: ‘to serve our team, our customers, and our community,’” says Stroud.
For Plumbing Outfitters, “giving back” isn’t a marketing tactic, it’s simply a responsibility. Showing up for people during their most vulnerable moments builds trust, credibility and lasting relationships far beyond any advertisement could achieve. “Our business exists because of the communities we serve. When a company grows in a city, that city should feel the benefit of that growth,” says Stroud.
Okay in Oklahoma
Recently, Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric, Glenpool, Okla., held a Thanksgiving food drive to help fill Thanksgiving baskets for local food banks. The company also recently adopted 25 angels from Glenpool Elementary School’s Angel Tree Program to ensure children in the community have gifts and essentials for Christmas. “Our number one core value is ‘Serve People,’ and that extends beyond our customers and employees to the entire community we call home,” says Cassie Pound, Vice President and Co-Owner of Quality Heating Cooling Plumbing & Electric.
And, throughout the year, Quality is committed to serving its community in meaningful ways. In January, the team assembled personal hygiene kits and delivered them to the local food bank to support families in need. In May, Quality celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week by delivering breakfast to educators at local schools. In October, the team fired up the grill and cooked and provided a team dinner for both the middle school and high school football programs.
“We don’t give for the publicity; we give because it’s the right thing to do and because it reflects the heart of our company. When we serve others, we live out our mission and strengthen the community that supports us,” says Pound.
T-Shirts for Turkeys
Del-Air Plumbing, Air Conditioning and Electric, Lake Mary, Fla., joined with The JOY FM radio—a Christian contemporary music station—for a food drive called T-Shirts for Turkeys leading up to Thanksgiving. In the past, Del-Air has donated annually to the Southeastern Food Bank prior to partnering this year with The JOY FM’s T-Shirts for Turkeys program, which also donates to the food bank.
The program consists of a collection of turkeys, grocery gift cards or cash which could be exchanged for a T-shirt at donation events set up across the South. “The JOY FM have grown it so much that they were at risk of not being able to afford the number of T-shirts they give away. Del-Air stepped in as their first sponsor to support the operation,” says Rob Haines, Director of Marketing, Del-Air Plumbing, Air Conditioning and Electric.
While Del-Air’s mission is to make homes comfortable for their homeowners through the services it provides, “it fits our mission to also help families be comfortably fed during the giving season. So, we have strived to do that over the years at the maximum level to which we're able,” says Haines.
Responding with Care
Every year, Rasmussen Mechanical Services, Council Bluffs, Iowa, dedicates a day giving back through its company-wide initiative called 1RMS Responds. “It’s one of our favorite days of the year when we set down our normal work, step away from job sites, and focus on helping our community,” says Riley Filipowicz, Marketing Coordinator, Rasmussen Mechanical Services.
In past years, Rasmussen has typically gathered as one big group to serve a single organization; but this year, the team wanted to try something new—dividing the entire company into four teams, each assigned to a different organization. The first group headed to the Midlands Humane Society, where they spent the day tackling projects the shelter’s small staff simply didn’t have the time or manpower to complete.
Next, at Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Rasmussen volunteers had a very different kind of task— building and delivering beds for local children who didn’t have a safe or comfortable place to sleep. The team split into smaller groups, assembling and delivering around the area.
By the end of the day, the crew had built and delivered 30 brand new beds to kids who, just the night before, were sleeping on the floor or sharing with a sibling.
Another team partnered with Share My Smile, an organization that supports foster and adoptive families. Their mission for the day was to create birthday baskets for local foster children.
The final group headed out to Horses Help SW Iowa, an equestrian therapy farm that provides physical, emotional and social support for individuals with disabilities. The staff at Horses Help said that the amount of work our volunteers completed in just two hours would have taken them nearly two months on their own.
“We’re one of the biggest employers if not the biggest in Council Bluffs, Iowa,” says Filipowicz. That being said, it comes with a big responsibility. “When we give back, its more than just donating our time and resources. It’s about showing the community we are investing in the same place we work. Supporting local charities, schools or nonprofit organizations helps strengthen the community’s trust in us,” says Filipowicz.
Rocky Mountain Goodness
After facing multiple health challenges, including a stroke, heart surgery, and a breast cancer diagnosis, Kassie Kascak continues to provide for her family. To make matters even worse, losing her HVAC system made things increasingly difficult.
Enter home services company Around the Clocking Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electric, Colorado Springs, Colo., which donated a brand-new A/C unit, furnace and air quality package to the single mother of two. "This new system will make a world of difference for my family," says Kascak. "I'm incredibly grateful to Around the Clock Heating, Air Conditioning Plumbing and Electric for their generosity and support during this challenging time."
Brandon Driscoll, Operations Manager at Around the Clock Heating, Air Conditioning Plumbing and Electric, says, “We are honored to support Kassie and her family. Providing this new A/C unit, furnace and air quality package is just one way we can give back to our community and help those in need."
Northwest Needs Fulfilled
Finally, Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians, a home services provider serving the greater Seattle and Tacoma areas, donated more than $18,000 through multiple local projects and partnerships. Harts donated $5,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project and $13,250 to Seattle Children’s Hospital, furthering the company’s mission to make a positive impact in the communities it serves.
“Giving back is a huge part of who we are,” says Richard Hart, co-owner of Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians. “We’re glad to have the ability to support causes that mean so much to our team and our customers. Our goal is to be more than just a home services company. We want to make a real difference in our community.”
