Atlantic Logistics launches Atlantic Cares

Jacksonville, Fla. – December 23, 2021– Rob Hooper, Jr. CEO of Atlantic Logistics and his mother Evie Hooper, founder of the company, are pleased to introduce the company’s volunteer and philanthropy initiative called, Atlantic Cares. According to Hooper, Atlantic Logistics continue sits 20-year tradition with charitable giving and recently named 12 local nonprofits to benefit from funding, and a formalized volunteer program with staff members who receive paid workdays to help those in need.

“We will contribute one dollar for every load of freight we move in 2022, and each month a different organization has been chosen for a donation. The organizations were selected through submissions from the Atlantic Cares team, and then evaluated with nonprofit industry methods,” said Rob Hooper, Jr. “With suggestions from staff, each one of these dollars donated hits home for someone in the Atlantic family,” he said. “Giving back to the community is one of our tenets, and we’re very humbled to have the means tohelp worthy causes in Northeast Florida, and beyond.”

Hooper estimates that each organization will receive a $2,500 donation. The nonprofit list includes Seamark Ranch, Ronald McDonald House, Feeding Northeast Florida, ALS Association, Sulzbacher Center, Coral Restoration Foundation, Operation New Uniform, Tunnels to Towers, St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund Inc., 6:8 Ministries, United Way of Northeast Florida, and Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

 According to Greg Voss, Seamark Ranch Chief Executive Officer, he is grateful for the donation due to much needed ranch and farm equipment to maintain the 465-acre property and facility, along with youth programs and services, and a capital gifts campaign in Green Cove Springs, Fla. “Our agricultural equipment needs to be replaced to support our entrepreneurial activities designed for children who live at Seamark Ranch. Also, we are planning to build new housing on the property and update existing living quarters,” said Voss. “Our many thanks go to the Hooper family and Atlantic Logistics for selecting us among the deserving nonprofits in their philanthropy.”

Seamark Ranch provides a traditional home environment where each child experiences the security of boundaries and the acceptance of unconditional love with therapy-based and individualized care in faith, school,and in the community.

At  Operation New Uniform™ (ONU), founded in 2014, Michele McManamon, Founder and CEO, will utilize Atlantic Cares funding for the service organization which ensures that military veterans have a successful transition after service. “Close to 100 percent of veterans who complete our program find a career within four months. Our success is attributed to treating each veteran as an individual, and we serve as many men and women as possible while meticulously tracking the results and successes,” she said. Specifically, the donation will support existing and new programs to include helping veterans with career and work materials such as business cards, portfolios, work polo shirts, and more to prepare them for civilian life. Also, a new spouse program will be started to assist wives, husbands, children, and family members with integrating veterans back into the workforce and daily lifestyle activities.

“I’ve known Michele for years and her reputation in the business community is beyond stellar,” said James Crichlow, Atlantic Logistics Marketing and Communications Director. “Naturally, I jumped at the chance for us to build a long-term partnership with her and ONU. We have anumber of veterans on our team, so assisting any service person transitioning from a military to civilian career felt natural for us as a company,” he said.

Additionally, as a part of Atlantic Cares, the Hooper family bequeathed a gift of $20,000 for a non-endowed scholarship fund to benefit Florida State College at Jacksonville Foundation Inc. The fund will focus on providing financial aid to current or future students at the College who are enrolled in the Logistics and Transportation Specialist Technical Certificate Program or the Supply Chain Management Associate in Science degree.

Also, as employee volunteerism and giving examples, the firm’s Keystone Heights, Fla. branch operations headed by Amanda Thacker with employees,friends and family volunteered during the 2021 Our County Day festivities and parade. The team designed an elaborate float with 1,000 red, white and blue balloons, emoji beach balls, hay bales, candies and giveaways on a 48-foot flatbed truck. Staff members also supported and ran in the 5K race.

Jan Brittingham, the company’s Executive Assistant, Human Resources and Office Manager, recently volunteered for First Coast Women’s Services, a faith-based not-for-profit organization in Jacksonville that provides pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, optional counseling, and community referrals with free of charge and confidential services.

Tali Hooper, Rob Hooper, Jr.’s daughter and company Logistics Assistant, runs the Toys for Tots toy drive for Atlantic Cares as a volunteer. “From my experience with the toy drive beginning last year, I was able to see first hand exactly what age ranges were lacking in donations. The teenage category donations were very sparce compared to the gifts for the little kids. There were mostly donations for children up to age 14,” she said. “This year, I am encouraging people to donate more to the older kids, so they have chance to get gifts, too.”

She added, “Last year, while packing toys for the kids some parents came in to pick up their toys. One mother had a little girl who was so excited to see all the bikes. She was begging her mom to let her take one home, and we were happy that she ended up getting a bike. It is so encouraging to see a glimpse of how joyful these kids are going to be on Christmas day. I am beyond excited to run the toy drive and can’t wait to volunteer next year as well.”

Rob Hooper, Jr. also volunteers and donates to professional and educational organizations in the region including the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Jacksonville Roundtable, First Coast Manufacturing Association, and industry nonprofits including the Transportation Intermediaries Association. Hooper provides funding and in-kind services at events to help with continuing training, development, scholarship, and membership efforts.

Hooper Jr. also places great importance in volunteering at his church and serving on the board of 6:8 Ministries, a mission-oriented ministry founded by Spencer Boulter, Executive Director at the non-profit, non-denominational organization. Prior to his role at 6:8 Ministries, Boulter served as Youth Minister at Hooper’shome church in Jacksonville. It was there that he and Boulter became close.

“I am excited to support 6:8 Ministries,” said Hooper, Jr. “In Costa Rica, the ministry is helping with feeding centers for impoverished children, educational work, a foster care facility known as Living Waters Ranch, among others,” he said. “For many years,the ministry has been positively impacting the people of San José. 6:8 also has affordable short-termmission trips for churches and organizations that allows so many to help thegreat people there with our own hands.”

About Atlantic Logistics:

Atlantic Logistics was founded 20 years ago as a woman-owned business and experienced record growth in 2021, moving over 30,000 loads and generating $41 million in total revenue. Utilizing the industry’s latest technologies such as load-tracking, digital freight matching and transportation management software, the company is prospering. Professional partners including McLeod Software have maximized Atlantic Logistics resources to meet supply chain and logistics challenges into 2022 and beyond.

Visit https://www.shipatlantic.com/atlantic-cares   

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