By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor
Westborough – For the past 35 years, Mark’s Moving & Storage has helped countless families and businesses safely move their valuable items from one location to another. Now, with the creation of a new foundation, Mark Silverman, the company’s president and CEO, is committed to helping those in need by donating to them furniture and other household items.
The new nonprofit organization, Mark’s Northeastern Furniture Foundation, will collect new and used furniture and household items from Mark’s current customers and local merchants and manufacturers. Those items will then be delivered by the truckload to organizations such as the United Way of Tri-County and veterans’ shelters.
The foundation’s name is a homage of sorts to Northeastern University, where Silverman was attending when he first started his company in 1979. He left school before graduating to attend to his growing business, but always knew, he said, that he would eventually finish his course work. That time has come – Silverman will receive his Bachelor of Arts in marketing next month.
Creating the foundation serves many purposes, he said. It was a component of finishing his degree, but also formalizes the charitable work that his company has always done.
“Many times people do not want to take items with them so they ask us to get rid of them,” he said. “A lot of times these are great items that someone else in need could really use.
“We have the capability to collect the items and then deliver them to the organizations such as the United Way and then they can distribute them to the end user,” he added.
For Paul L. Mina, the president and chief professional officer of the United Way of Tri-County, the establishment of the foundation is a continuation of the support that Mark’s has given the organization for the past five years.
“Mark has always been a very philanthropic person,” he added. “This new foundation is a great example of product philanthropy that will help those in need.”
Derek Rawls, CPA, MST, director of tax for Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP, has been working with Silverman to establish the foundation as a nonprofit organization. He noted that when he and his wife recently moved to Massachusetts after 25 years in Atlanta, they found themselves faced with trying to get rid of some furniture they no longer wanted.
“We struggled to find places to dispose of our furniture. It made us really think about how many other people who are moving or perhaps downsizing have to face this,” he said. “And so many others really could use these items.
“So when I heard about Mark’s idea, I really wanted to lend support to it,” he added. Rawls will also be serving on the new foundation’s board of directors.
George Jacobs, Mark’s vice president, has been with the company since its beginning.
“We have in a way, become an ‘accidental resource’ for very usable furniture,” he said. “It’s important to note that we get items from both residential and commercial customers. This will be a great way to channel to those who need it.”
Silverman noted that although he was very proud to finally be obtaining his degree from Northeastern, he was equally as proud of formalizing the foundation.
“These essential commodities will improve the lives of those in need,” he said.
Mark’s Moving & Storage is located at 111 Milk St., Westborough. For additional information, call 508-983-6000 or 800-966-MARK, or visit the firm’s website, www.marksmoving.com.