When ShipNorthAmerica signed up to help coordinate charitable trucking shipments through the Trucks for Change (T4C) network, account manager Christina Conforti was told to expect one or two loads a month.

During one week in late April she matched 10 loads to donated and discounted truck services, supporting organizations such as Food Banks Canada and Feed Ontario.

“Yesterday alone we booked in three loads for them,” she said, referring to the surge in activity during Covid-19.

Trucks for Change offers a coordinated hub for charitable giving in the trucking industry, helping to ensure that donated goods are distributed at a discount or free. For its part, ShipNorthAmerica offers in-kind load management services, matching requests that charities post through the MoveMatrix system.

The latest loads of food have been stored in warehouse space offered by AMJ Campbell and Mackie Group. From there, many of the April shipments have been destined for the Moisson Montreal food bank. One LTL load made five drops in King City, Ont. Another was off to London.

Participating carriers have included Trucks for Change members such as Kriska Group, Polaris Transportation, Mackie Moving, Erb Transport, Arnold Bros., Manitoulin Transport, and Gardewine. Martin Roy Transport also supported a shipment.

“It’s just been pretty busy,” Conforti says. “I’m seeing a lot of crackers, dry food products.”

The support has not been limited to food banks. One load included four skids of Red Cross comfort kits, which include personal hygiene supplies for those displaced by disasters such as recent flooding in Fort McMurray, Alta. That shipment traveled to Calgary from Oakville, Ont. Other loads have involved First Books, which is offering donated books to kids who don’t have internet access or home libraries when schools are shut down.

“At the end of the day, I’ll find them the best discount they can get,” Conforti says, referring to the charity partners. “People need it.”

• Coronavirus Chronicles tell the trucking industry’s personal stories from the front lines of Covid-19. They are drawn from the ongoing coverage at www.trucknews.com.