Two Men and a Truck receives Northbrook Corporate Citizen Award
Two Men and a Truck may be a new name in Northbrook, having been here for less than two years, but the company has made an outstanding first impression in its support of local nonprofits. The commitment of franchise owner Brian Stern and his team to the community led to the company’s selection as the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Corporate Citizen of the Year. The award is one of five that will be presented at the chamber’s annual Meeting and Business Awards Dinner at the Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel on March 11.
“When we are part of a community, we believe in giving back,” says Stern, who has headed Two Men and a Truck in St. Louis, the east coast, and most recently Des Plaines before opening in Northbrook in 2022.
Locally, the company has provided trucks and transportation for a wide variety of organizations. They hosted “Stuff The Truck” events where donated items were resold with proceeds supporting Glenbrook North’s Grad Night. Employees volunteered for setup and cleanup at Northbrook Days, and delivered “Cheeriodical” boxes to area children’s hospitals and the Ronald McDonald House.
For Stern and his team, helping the community is very much a hands-on experience.
“It’s different from making out a check,” he says. “We have resources that others don’t have access to. Our guys enjoy being part of these projects, and it helps them see what we’re about.”
Perhaps most significantly, Two Men and a Truck has been an essential partner in delivering much-needed supplies to area refugees. Brian worked with Rick Rosenfeld, owner of Journey Softly and a volunteer with World Relief Chicago, to deliver furniture and other necessities beginning in 2023. Then they stepped up to help as Rosenfeld was coordinating the annual winter coat drive for the Northbrook, Deerfield, and Glenview Rotary Clubs.
“The involvement of Two Men and a Truck helped transform Rotary’s modest-yet-successful annual coat drive into a highly efficient coat collection and distribution program benefiting those in need across Chicagoland,” shares Rosenfeld. “Brian Stern, Phil Rubino and a team of 16 men and eight trucks allowed us to shorten delivery time to as little as five days from the time a coat was donated until it reached its new owner. Thanks in large part to the Two Men and a Truck team, winter was made a little warmer for nearly 1,800 homeless, migrants, refugees and others in need.”
The inspiring example set by Two Men and a Truck shows how businesses can have a powerful positive impact. The commitment demonstrated by Brian Stern and his team will quickly help this Northbrook newcomer develop deep roots in the community.
The Northbrook Chamber’s Business Awards Dinner celebrates excellence in the local business community. The event, themed The Magic of Small Business, will take place at the Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel on Monday, March 11, beginning at 5 p.m. Northbrook Bank & Trust Co. is the event’s presenting sponsor. The public is welcome to attend.
For ticket information, visit northbrookchamber.org or call (847) 498-5555.