Eric Snelz, CEO of Helping Hands For Freedom discusses the benefit that military families are able to take away from our DFCU AZTV 7 Stuff The Bus Back To School Drive.
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00:00 Welcome back to the Arizona Daily Mix. This is our special Desert Financial Credit Union Stuff the Bus
00:04 mini stuffing, I guess, back to school supplies. With me is Eric with Helping Hands for Freedom.
00:10 But before I start, Eric, I want to show you how important this is.
00:13 I don't know if we can get a camera here, but if you look across there, that is our CEO and
00:18 president of our station, Lynn London, who's out here helping too. Rick Soltes is here. Curtis, who's in sales. Curtis, come here really quick.
00:26 Come here, Curtis. Come in here, Eric. This is what's up. Your family here too, Curtis.
00:29 Curtis, how you doing? Good, thanks.
00:31 How great is this? We had two of them going already. You guys said, you know what,
00:36 we still want to make sure we give out backpacks to more of those who need. And you guys said, let's do a mini one here, right?
00:42 Yeah, we had some great support from our sponsors and
00:45 we were able to order more stuff. So we have great partners and
00:49 just turned out fantastic. The biggest one ever.
00:52 It's awesome. And of course, we have some of our partners here with us, some of the sales team here,
00:56 which Curtis is in charge of, but it's about giving back and that's what's really going on here too.
01:01 And that's where Eric from Helping Hands for Freedom comes in
01:04 because you know the need that those families out there who are military families with the things they go through
01:11 have to have these supplies for kids because it's a big choice they have, isn't it?
01:15 It's weird you said because I'm getting calls about, hey, you got backpacks this year, right? I said, yeah.
01:21 I'm actually on TV about this and
01:24 SOS, they handle all the Gold Star, recently got killed in the war, and we're the only families in the state of Arizona and they are
01:29 like ready, anxious to go and pick these babies up and send them out because the demand is there,
01:35 the families need them, and they're pretty pumped about getting them, just so you know.
01:39 Before we came on, you actually said that was very interesting about giving this year because that's how you guys actually take care of these
01:45 families. And what were you telling me? It's down 10.5% from last year.
01:49 So this is the fourth time in 67 years this has happened, and it's the second worst time ever in the history of giving
01:56 that it's down. And you guys are actually up with a record number of backpacks.
02:01 You've kind of fought the curve, if you will, which is pretty cool. Yeah, pretty cool. Trust me.
02:05 Well, that's what it's about for us is making sure those families are taken care of, especially our military families, too.
02:09 Because you said giving's down and they have the choice of do I get food or do I get those school supplies for the kids?
02:15 And especially those families that are going through tough times, as something might not be on their mind right now as they're trying to
02:19 maneuver the family. And that's why giving these backpacks are so important.
02:23 It's that, it's at least there's inflation,
02:26 there's families who are deployed right now to the war over there in the Ukraine area, and the dad's not home, mom's not home, and
02:33 it just helps to have everything in line for them as opposed to having to struggle to find it.
02:39 Big deal. Because these things are not inexpensive, these backpack supplies.
02:44 I'm gonna ask you, Curtis, because you guys have been putting these all out.
02:47 I mean, it took a lot to do this. You even brought your boys down.
02:50 Again, it's a sales team and going out to those different sponsors and partners was so important to your team to have this done, right?
02:56 Yeah. No, we've got some great support. You know, we love working with Helping Hands for Freedom.
03:01 We've got a lot of other nonprofits that, you know, benefit from this around the community,
03:05 like you guys have talked about. There are so many schools in need, so many families in need, and
03:11 this is just awesome to have a record-breaking event. Thank you, Curtis and your team, and of course, Eric,
03:16 anything we do for you, and we know we also do our big Christmas time with you,
03:20 which is actually getting started here soon, right? I can't wait!
03:23 Christmas in August, yeah, whatever, yeah.
03:26 Well, this is the deal, too. You're not just here to stand and do an interview with me. Hop in line there, stuff a couple of
03:32 backpacks. Get going in there. All right, as you're going over there, go over there.
03:36 I want to come over here really quick because this young lady right here, I'm gonna stop the counting, so here we go.
03:40 Ronnie, how are you? I'm fine. This is one of our biggest fans here.
03:45 This is Mike Gallagher's mom, who came out to help, and you came last year, too, didn't you?
03:49 Yes. Christmas. Christmas.
03:51 You have a lot of grandkids, and you have a lot of children,
03:55 so you know how important these supplies are, and how it's a sacrifice for families, right? Yes.
04:00 And so, and that's why you're out here making sure that you're getting the count, and they're getting the backpacks.
04:04 I'm getting, don't make me lose count.
04:06 I won't. Well, we got, we got Joey there. He's helping out, so don't worry.
04:10 But how many have you counted so far? Do you know yet? Do we have an idea?
04:14 200. 200? All right, we got 200, and I think we got another, almost, I think, 300.
04:19 Okay, I'll let you get back into the counting. All right, so there it is.
04:23 You know, that's what it's all about out here. Family, our teams, and everybody working hard to do this.
04:27 We have some great people doing it, and again, we're gonna be stuffing the bus throughout the morning here at AZTV7,
04:34 so come on out.
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