Employees of Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking donate “essentials” kits to Portland and Salem families

It would be easy to rattle off a boatload of professional jobs that Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking has done in the Willamette Valley and elsewhere around the Pacific Northwest, but Rick’s does more than install fences and decks. It also plays a pivotal role in local communities by sponsoring an ongoing effort called Rick’s Community Support Drive, founded by Taylor Pawley, Rick’s marketing director.

The RCSD project gives back to children and families in the communities Rick’s serves. Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking has partnered with about 30 nonprofits since June 2020, providing critical community resources with financial support, donated materials, and even on occasion, build-projects with little or no cost as Rick’s has done with two Make-A-Wish projects fulfilling backyard wishes.

In just two years, Rick’s has donated more than $100,000. This year, it has pledged to donate $60,000 (it’s currently at $41,210) and given 185 volunteer hours of 250 hours promised. And that doesn’t count the essential-item drive or toy drives.

“The Rick’s Community Support Drive is one of the most meaningful things that our company has taken on. Bringing our employees and their families together with the mission of giving back and helping those in need has brought us all closer together,” Pawley said. “It’s become a part of our company culture now, and our employees appreciate being part of it as much as the families and nonprofits that we support.”

Recently, Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking rallied a team of volunteers to assemble nearly 100 Impact Kits. These kits were filled with personal essential items such as household goods, basic pantry staples, and even feminine hygiene items. The materials were all donated by Rick’s customers and employees who gave enough items to fill two entire vehicles.

Thirteen volunteers from Rick’s, along with spouses, children, and even an employee’s foreign exchange student from Italy, worked together on a rainy Sunday to organize and assemble the kits and prepare them to be delivered to families in need.

“Many of our vulnerable neighbors face housing insecurity and struggle to afford (their) basic needs … they forego essential household items in order to pay for rent and other family costs,” said Ada Dortch, development director for Impact NW. “With Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking item drive and their compassion for our community, we can make sure that people have the support and items they need to stay safe ... .”

For 42 years, Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking has done right by the installations and products it sells but almost more importantly, for the communities it serves.

This article was presented and sponsored by Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking. For more information, go to ricksfencing.com.