The self storage industry is, by nature, a very altruistic group. From Texas Shriners Children’s Hospital to Toys for Tots and various community organizations, owners/operators are always eager to give back and help those suffering hardship. The generosity of these people is remarkable, with none being more generous than Lonnie Bickford, the power behind StorageGives.

StorageGives is a charitable organization with a simple mission – to make the world a better place. Through its sister company, StorageAuctions.com, the self storage industry is able to participate in supporting life-giving causes for those that need them most.

Lonnie has been involved in the self storage industry for over three decades. His many years in this business have provided him with the know-how and resources to build an online storage auction platform. He has since used this platform, StorageAuctions.com, as a channel for self storage owners to easily get involved in donating to StorageGives.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lonnie a number of years ago while attending various self-storage shows and conferences. At an event in 2019, we reconnected, discussed our respective businesses, and talked about future plans. In December of that year, Lonnie reached out to ask whether we would be interested in donating our website and marketing services to StorageGives. Unfortunately, FineView Marketing didn’t have the manpower or resources to undertake this project at that time.

Fast forward a few months and we were hit with the pandemic. Self Storage events came to a halt; but, despite that disruption, Lonnie continued to move forward. His passion for StorageGives became a reality with help from personal friends and Universal Storage Group, one of the first company’s in the industry to partner with StorageGives.

At the end of last year, with the official launch of StorageGives, Lonnie approached FineView with a plan to implement marketing services and solutions for both StorageAuctions.com and StorageGives. I was thrilled that were now in a position to donate our time and resources to promote the life-changing causes connected with StorageGives.

At the risk of sounding trite, success is about more than making money. It’s about using your resources to improve the lives of others. I’m blessed to have met Lonnie and to be associated with an industry where giving isn’t the exception but the rule. The examples of compassion and generosity that I’ve witnessed in the self storage industry are nothing short of extraordinary, and I’m proud that FineView Marketing is a part of this amazing group.

With eight outstanding charities, StorageGives enables you to advocate for a cause that is close to your heart. From feeding starving children to autism awareness to supporting our veterans, your donations make an impact in countless ways.

The StorageGives organizations are 100% non-profit. Each of the charities has been vetted to ensure that they are in good standing with the IRS and that their administration overhead is viewed as professional and proper. The following StorageGives causes are aligned with one of four focus areas: water, children’s needs, medical needs, and veterans’ needs.

StorageGives Charities

• Mission Feeding – This outreach meets the nutritional needs of starving and malnourished children in villages across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Water For Life – Water For Life provides water wells, giving access to safe drinking water to millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Homes For Our Troops – This non-profit rebuilds the lives of severely injured post-9/11 veterans by building and donating specially adapted custom homes.
• Free Wheelchair Mission – Free Wheelchair Mission is a faith-based, non-profit that manufactures wheelchairs for disabled individuals living in under-resourced nations.
• Autism Speaks – Autism speaks is the largest autism advocacy organization in the United States, sponsoring autism research and conducting awareness and outreach activities.
• RescueLIFE – RescueLIFE combats the horrors of the sex industry by researching, rescuing, and restoring.
• Shriners Hospitals – Shriners provides specialized pediatric care for a wide range of treatments, including, cleft palate, spinal cord injuries, and burns.
• Susan G. Komen – As the largest breast cancer organization in the U.S., Susan G. Komen has invested billions in research, community health outreach, advocacy, and programs in more than 60 countries.

For more information go to storagegives.org/causes.

StorageGives provides hope and healing while rebuilding lives for so many deserving people. The team at FineView Marketing is truly honored to be able to participate in giving back through this phenomenal organization, and we encourage all of you to make StorageGives a personal priority.