Mario Reyes was on a mission to deliver a truckload of love.The 33-year-old president and CEO of TRD Trucking in Vineland had a special task in mind: Join the fight to help victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, which killed more than 100 people in late September.
The whole idea was the brainchild of his human resources director, Nikole Smith, a North Vineland resident who approached her boss with a bold idea—combine community donations with Reyes’ corporate resources.
Do that, and they could bring much-needed basic supplies to desperate residents in rural North Carolina, whose world was wrecked by Helene’s terrifying power.
“I have drivers who live all over the country,” said Reyes, who started his company with one truck at the age of 18. “How can we be a part of this? We can be a part of this by giving back to the community.”
Reyes is a problem-solver whose talent helped him build a multimillion-dollar business that makes most of its money shipping liquid eggs in food-grade tankers all over the country.
Armed with marching orders from her boss, Smith put out the call to Cumberland County residents: “In one week, we are driving to North Carolina. Drive to our location on Main Road in Vineland with as many basic supplies as you can donate.”
In the small window of time they had, Vineland area residents came in droves, contributing seven pallets full of goods.
One couple, in their 80s, hauled at least 15 to 20 heavy bags of clothes down two floors, and brought them to TRD. Their donations included warm, pricey Carhartt clothing, jackets and other necessities to keep West Jefferson, NC residents warm and working through the winter.
Lumberton, NC driver Kyle Young said their donation went from the bottom of their truck to the roof of the cabin. Smith and Young were especially touched by the donation and the effort of the octogenarians.
“It was cool,” she said. “Aw, man, I just had no words. Speechless.”
The donations came in at a steady pace, but the shorter deadline left a little space on the truck.
And Reyes is a guy who likes to fill up trucks. Time to go shopping.
“We need to go to Sam’s Club,” he said, adding that he wasn’t exactly a member. “We get the membership and go to the Sam’s Club in Linden (where one of TRD’s two New Jersey operations is based). We need to pull these pallets because this truck is leaving tomorrow. I wanna fill this truck up with stuff.”
Reyes spent more than $20,000 on pallets of water, toilet paper and baby wipes.
“Honestly, I wanted to buy all of Sam’s Club,” he said. “I love people. It’s very important for me to give to the people. I just want to keep helping people.”
Reyes then traveled to Parsippany where the fire department had collected so much water that it would have taken them three or four trips to North Carolina to ship it all.
Instead, it all went on the truck. And they did it in just one load.
“We donated our truck and equipment and the driver. We have everything you guys need,” he said.
Once loaded and ready to go, the truck was escorted to Route 55 from TRD’s Main Road parking lot by police cars in the front and rear of the truck.
“Sirens on and everything,” Smith said.
“We are planning on doing it again for this one,” she said, referring to TRD’s Thanksgiving drive.
Smith said she hopes businesses and residents really turn out and donate as many turkeys and hams as possible.
“Bring ’em on!” she said. “I’m hoping for a big turnout. We are adding hours (to the drop-off times) to give people a chance to drop off food after work.”
How many turkeys is she hoping to receive?
“I’m going for the maximum amount,” she added.
The men who live in the mountains of North Carolina are the ones who will cook and serve the dinner, and apparently have been able to serve thousands of hungry people in only three hours’ time.
The effort is again coordinated with Catherine Steele of Musicians Mission of Mercy of West Jefferson, NC. Steele helped distribute all of the donations on the first trip, and her work brings relief to the storm-weary but tough residents of Ashe County.
“We are so grateful and blessed that this team there at TRD truck put together provisions for those we serve here that were so devastated by Hurricane Helene,” said Steele, who volunteers all her time to spread donations around the hills of North Carolina.
“It’s life-saving work,” Steele said, tears in her eyes and voice. “Potable water was in short supply and still is. There is still no power in many places.” She added that many roads that serve the residents were made of gravel or dirt before the storm, and the hurricane destroyed what little they had.
“It didn’t take much to knock the feet out from under these hills. It has been very scary and dangerous to do this work,” Steele said.
Vineland was one of many locations throughout the U.S. to come to the aid of these Appalachian hill country residents. “Praise God we have partners now,” Steele said. “It’s divine supply. Every time we need something, it comes. If we need it, it’s there—always.”
The charity sets up donations in a huge Walmart parking lot, where some are picked up by residents and some are delivered to those in need. Hundreds of people are still displaced from their homes and are living in hotels.
Mountain people do not like to accept help but will readily step up to help their neighbors, so that is the way Steele and her small band of volunteers have been working to bring food and other supplies to their region.
Smith, Reyes and TRD driver Young are again ready to support their mission.
“We want to help out this year for their Thanksgiving,” Smith said.
For Young, who witnessed the devastation along I-58, his reward was seeing Steele’s face as he pulled up with a truck full of supplies.
“What they’re doing down there, I have nothing but good things to say about Catherine Steele and that organization,” he said.
Walmart’s parking lot was filled with people staying there, he said.
“I will say this about North Carolinians. They have all come together. They have suffered great loss. Equipment was buried in mud; in places that were once inhabited, there’s nothing there now. It washed everything away,” he said.
Young served two terms in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. He wants his country to continue to step up.
“We as Americans need to help our people out,” he said.
Both Young and Reyes won’t stop fighting to help them and others in need.
“It’s going to continue, according to what is needed. We’re going to keep on giving until we cannot give anymore,” he said. “It’s only going to stop if there’s no more need. We are going to work very hard and keep on giving. If they get hit, I feel like I get hit.”
Reyes said the effort will continue. “I will drive myself and do it myself. I feel honored to be on this side of the table,” he said.
Thanksgiving Donations Needed for North Carolina-Bound Trucks
TRD will collect Thanksgiving dinner supplies for West Jefferson, NC.
WHAT IS NEEDED: Donations of ham or frozen turkeys, as well as any canned goods or side dishes needed for a Thanksgiving dinner.
WHEN: Donations will be collected through Friday, November 22.
WHERE: Drop off your donations at TRD, located at 1713 N. Main Road. Hours for drop-offs are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
NOT NEEDED: No clothing will be accepted at this time.
IF YOU DROP OFF DONATIONS: Employees will be at the Main Road location to accept the food, but if they are busy, donations may be left inside the first door in the parking lot of the old Coraluzzo building. Please do not leave donations outside of the building. For more information, call Nikole Smith at 908-316 1188.
SPECIAL REQUEST: Local businesses and grocery stores are also encouraged to contribute frozen turkeys or hams. Call Smith of TRD at 908-316 1188.
