In honor of its 10th anniversary, online self-storage marketplace SpareFoot donated $20,000 to 10 nonprofits in the company’s home base of Austin, Texas. One local organization received $10,000, while the other nine received an equal portion of the remainder. The grand-prize winner was chosen via a six-round trivia competition with questions focused on the year 2008.

During the event, SpareFoot employees teamed up with members from each competing candidate. The participating charities were B.I.G. Love Cancer Care Services, CASA of Travis County, CISV ATXSA, Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, Minis & Friends, Open Door Preschool, Out Youth, Refugee Services of Texas, Travis Audubon Society and Wags Hope & Healing.

The first-place winner, Minis & Friends, uses miniature horses to help disabled children, at-risk youth, individuals in transition and senior citizens improve their motor skills, ability to connect, tactile response, use of senses and spirits. Before each interaction, staff wash and groom the animals, a process that takes two hours.

“We are honored to have been selected to participate with SpareFoot in such a big event. With our winnings, we plan to build two customized sheds so that we will no longer have to cancel weekend visits due to rainy weather. These winnings will solve our rain problem and we are still in awe,” said Deborah Davis, a board member and volunteer for Mini & Friends. “In 2017, we had to cancel 11 visits because of being rained out. The little-horse therapists think that if the ground gets wet and muddy, it is spa day! For us, it's sadness because we have to disappoint children and seniors with requesting a rain date.”

Minis & Friends will also use its funds to publish a second edition of its “Mighty Mini Reader,” which includes information about the organization as well as children’s activities and pictures of the group’s horses. It’s distributed at shelters, hospitals and assisted-living homes.

Last year, SpareFoot was named to the “Top Company Cultures” list by “Entrepreneur” magazine and has been named a “Top Employer” by the Austin American-Statesman since 2013. In July, it was named one of “Austin's Coolest Companies” by media company AustinInno.

“Community service has always been a priority at SpareFoot, and we are lucky to have the opportunity to give back to a city that has given us so much. We are grateful to be able to connect with local organizations and strengthen the Austin community,” said SpareFoot CEO Chuck Gordon.

SpareFoot helps consumers find and reserve self-storage units, with comparison shopping tools that show real-time availability and exclusive deals. It has a network of more than 12,000 storage facilities in the United States on SpareFoot.com and SelfStorage.com.

Source:
PR Newswire, SpareFoot Donates $20,000 to Austin-based Nonprofit Organizations