Prestige is a word commonly associated, in part, for an endured reputation. On the other hand, just because something is old does not necessarily mean that it is prestigious. When you think of C.J. Erickson Plumbing Co., Alsip, IL, “prestigious” is definitely a descriptor that comes to mind. A plumbing contractor for commercial and site work since 1906, C.J. Erickson exists and succeeds because of the skills and quality craftsmanship of its plumbers, laborers and equipment operators. Yet, C.J. Erickson’s dedication to service excellence and community, for example, earns the company good standing and reputation, respect and admiration in the community it serves.
And with community comes responsibility, not only through performing excellently, but giving back, donating time and taking care of those in the surrounding said community. “Most contractors put community involvement and volunteering on their top 10 list of their business and social responsibilities,” says Matt Erickson, CEO, C.J. Erickson. Yet oftentimes, and especially for small businesses, says Erickson, running the business or performing work or dealing with a pandemic, take precedent over volunteering or community involvement goals.
When possible, having multiple people involved in the volunteering process helps keep a company on track to reaching its goals, says Erickson. “Every quarter, our goal is to provide opportunities for employees to volunteer their time for a local organization. We also ask for suggestions for organizations employees personally support. Financial support throughout the year occurs for the foundations and organizations that our customers and end users support.”
In “normal” times, every year around the holidays C.J. Erickson participates locally in food drives, coat drives, and gift buying for local “Santa” programs and meal prep and donations for homeless shelters and churches. C.J. Erickson also makes monetary donations to three or four local organizations such as the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Metropolitan Family Services, and Sertoma Centre, Inc. “These activities are pretty consistent year after year; we also donate labor and materials for these clients if they have facility service or repair projects,” says Erickson.
In addition to the usual holiday giving opportunities, C.J. Erickson volunteers and supports the Rebuilding Together organization in the Chicago market. In the past, C.J. Erickson has participated with Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago, a volunteer organization that dedicates itself to improving the homes and communities of elderly, disabled and low-income residents. The organization partners with volunteers, communities, corporations, trade unions and service clubs to help these disadvantaged homeowners.
Every spring, C.J. Erickson helps with multiple projects that include renovations and repairs to allow people to stay in their homes. Rebuild takes place on one day and hundreds of residents get help from thousands of volunteers. Moreover, the company hosts in-house quarterly blood drives and it responds to monthly service and repair donation requests.
As with many organizations, COVID-19 has changed the blueprint and disrupted the in-person volunteering opportunities that were otherwise participated in a normal year. For C.J. Erickson, many events were cancelled and many employees were hesitant to participate even if allowed. “I can only imagine what support organization that count on in-person volunteering are going though during this pandemic. We’ve decided to give a bit extra, to more organizations, this year in an attempt to make up for some of the lost in-person volunteer hours,” says Erickson.
A few opportunities did pop up though… One business needed volunteers because its employees or regular volunteers could not work due to COVID. And, in late April, as businesses began planning for re-opening, C.J. Erickson donated labor and materials to a few not-for-profits to convert manual faucets and flush valves to hands-free.
Why is community involvement still so important to a company that’s been around for nearly 115 years? “As cliché as it may seem, it’s the right thing to do. The name recognition, history and company success are intertwined with, and due in part to, our relationship within local and Chicagoland community at large,” says Erickson.