The ARA Foundation and The Toro Company Foundation, along with volunteers and equipment from various companies, completed a $20,000 impact project at CFICE in Chicago. The initiative included creating gardens, landscaping, and making repairs to benefit children with disabilities. The ARA Foundation also donated $20,000 to United Way of Metro Chicago for project expenses.
ARA/Toro photo
Volunteers and equipment from The Toro Company, Ditch Witch, First Place Rental, Sunbelt Rentals Inc. Carol Stream, Sunbelt Rentals Inc. Countryside, American Rental, Event Essentials, Marquee Event Rentals, Ditch Witch Midwest, National Lift Truck and House of Rental joined forces to make significant repairs and improvements.
The American Rental Association (ARA) Foundation and The Toro Company Foundation in collaboration with United Way of Metro Chicago donated volunteers and equipment to clean up and transform the grounds of Center for Independence through Conductive Education (CFICE) Chicago, Ill., on July 23. This is just one of the many ARA Foundation Impact Projects that take place across the country to improve communities in which ARA members live.
Volunteers and equipment from The Toro Company, Ditch Witch, First Place Rental, Sunbelt Rentals Inc. Carol Stream, Sunbelt Rentals Inc. Countryside, American Rental, Event Essentials, Marquee Event Rentals, Ditch Witch Midwest, National Lift Truck and House of Rental joined forces to make significant repairs and improvements. Their efforts included installing a sound garden and a butterfly garden, landscaping, and repairing and painting entryways and awnings.
ARA/Toro photo
"Children with disabilities have unlimited potential," said Patricia Herbst, executive director, CFICE. "Unfortunately, many families face significant barriers to accessing quality therapy and services due to income or insurance limitations. No parent should have to choose between groceries and therapy for their child. The Center for Independence is deeply grateful to the United Way of Metro Chicago, the ARA Foundation and the Toro Company Foundation for helping break down these barriers. Your support ensures that children with disabilities can grow up healthy and reach for the stars with an ‘I can' attitude. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many hardworking children and their families — you made our playground and building a beautiful place to play and learn."
In addition to working on CFICE, The ARA Foundation donated a $20,000 grant to UW of Metro Chicago to support the expenses associated with the project.
Matt Shinofield, Sunbelt Rentals Inc. and ARA of Illinois vice president was a lead on the project. "During the planning process I visited the center to confirm the project scope, during the visit I knew that the work we were going to do would have a lasting impact on the kids and teachers for years to come," he said. "I was overjoyed by the amount of volunteer participation we had from the local rental community. The most rewarding part of the day was at the end. The kids went straight to the instrument garden and started playing with them. They were using the mallets to listen to what the different sounds were from each leaf of the instrument tree. Their faces were all smiles. They were laughing and playing. I knew we had made an impact."
About ARA Foundation
The American Rental Association (ARA) Foundation, Moline, Ill., is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting the equipment and event rental industry. It is affiliated with the ARA, an international trade association for owners of equipment and event rental businesses and the manufacturers and suppliers of construction/industrial, general tool and party/event rental equipment. The ARA Foundation offers scholarships, mentoring opportunities, employee training assistance and disaster relief to the industry.
For more information, visit ARArental.org.
About The Toro Company
The Toro Company is a worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance; snow and ice management; underground utility construction; rental and specialty construction; and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions.
The Toro Company's global presence extends to more than 125 countries through a family of brands that includes Toro, Ditch Witch, Exmark, Spartan Mowers, BOSS Snowplow, Ventrac, American Augers, Trencor, Subsite Electronics, HammerHead, Radius HDD, Perrot, Hayter, Unique Lighting Systems, Irritrol and Lawn-Boy.
Through constant innovation and caring relationships built on trust and integrity, The Toro Company and its family of brands have built a legacy of excellence by helping customers work on golf courses, sports fields, construction sites, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties and agricultural operations.
For more information, visit thetorocompany.com.
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