MH Equipment Company gives back to communities its employees call home

Material handling equipment company helps local non-profits, food banks during COVID-19 crisis.

Peoria, IL. – Across the Midwest, MH Equipment, a material handling equipment dealer, is doing its part to help not only their employees, but also their local communities, during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
One of the company’s values is investing in communities for a positive impact by coming alongside employees’ passions with support and financial assistance through the company’s His First Foundation charitable program.

As a steward of the community, MH Equipment recognized the food shortages community food banks and pantries faced and continue to face in light of the pandemic. In answer to this hardship, the company launched the “Purpose Unites” campaign, providing employees the opportunity to automatically deduct part of their paycheck to provide needed support to local food banks.

In just four days, MH Equipment employees across the company’s 33 locations raised nearly $187,000 with the Foundation’s help. All money raised is being distributed to local food banks and pantries in each of the MH Equipment locations.

The pandemic has also forced many companies to reduce employees’ hours and pay, if not furlough or lay off staff. With many customers pausing or decreasing their operations, some of MH Equipment’s services are experiencing less demand in certain locations. MH Equipment, however, has found a unique way to keep those departments employed while simultaneously giving back to the local community.

“One of the pillars of MH Equipment is ‘People Matter,'” says John Wieland, MH Equipment CEO. “Our employees have worked hard over the years to build a successful company, and it is only natural for the company to stand by our employees during this unique economy and not lay off any employee due to COVID-19.”

Throughout the month of April, MH Equipment saw more than 4,000 hours of paid, volunteer community service time across the Midwest states the company serves. This time was paid by MH Equipment’s His First Foundation charitable program.

These employees have helped out in a variety of ways, such as helping food banks with loading/unloading trucks, meal delivery, and packaging; making masks; mowing yards for the elderly and non-profit organizations; as well as using their technical skills to assist with light mechanical work on fire engines at volunteer fire departments.

“The current climate was a perfect way to bring these two beliefs together – keeping our employees fully employed, and serving our communities,” Wieland said.

About MH Equipment
MH Equipment (MH) began in Peoria, Illinois in 1952 as a small forklift dealership, but has grown to become one of the largest and fastest growing full-service material handling providers in the United States. Since 1994, MH has grown organically and through acquisitions from a small company of 50 employees and three locations into an organization composed of multiple dealerships with more than 900 employees and 28 servicing locations throughout the Midwest.

Our Mission is to deliver exceptional service while honoring our corporate Vision of being an employer of choice, a trustworthy partner and ethical market leader in our communities. As an organization, we believe the following simple truths make a difference when connecting with MH as a customer, supplier or employee: All People Matter and are due honor and respect, principled Passion Inspires others and enriches lives, and our Purpose Unites us in serving our customers and communities. “We trust as a company we will always remain mindful of our humble beginnings, grateful for our success and hungry for our next horizon.”

News stories are submitted by member companies. Publication of a story does not indicate an endorsement of any product, event, or company by MHEDA.