City Wide of St. Louis
City Wide of St. Louis Renews Unique Gift to Worthy Local Not-for-Profit
December 01, 2011
City Wide Maintenance of St. Louis has given a very unique and generous “gift” to the Violence Prevention Center of SW Illinois (VPC). For the fifth consecutive year City Wide has donated cleaning services to VPC as an “in-kind” donation, a value that exceeds $10,500 annually.
The VPC is a place of shelter and safety in Belleville, Illinois for women and their children who are victims of domestic violence and have no where else to turn for help.
“VPC had been a satisfied City Wide client for 3 years when, last summer, I received a very surprising ‘you’re fired’ letter that really wasn’t expected,” says Don Durham, Owner of City Wide Maintenance of St. Louis. “The letter from the Executive Director stated budget shortfalls dictated ‘our relationship must come to a close.’”
“The letter really concerned me,” continues Durham. “The VPC performs a tremendous service to many in their darkest hour of need. The facility needs to be clean and wholesome for all involved – clients, volunteers and employees. I knew what had to be done.”
Says Durham, “City Wide saves our clients time by reducing the headaches associated with managing multiple vendors on their own. The Violence Prevention Center is no different. The center does very valuable work in the community. The time and effort we save them on their facility issues is much better spent addressing the needs of their clientele.”
“I started this business in 2002 with just one account. This year City Wide celebrated our nine year anniversary,” continues Durham. “City Wide now services over one hundred and eighty buildings in the St. Louis metro. Our unique situation with VPC offers City Wide the opportunity to express our gratitude for the success and good fortune we’ve experienced. I’m especially proud we’re keeping it local, right here at home within the St. Louis area.”
“We were astounded when City Wide offered to continue to clean our 18,000 square foot facility at no charge!” says the Executive Director of Violence Prevention Center. “In the beginning we selected City Wide Maintenance as our janitorial and building maintenance provider because they were clearly the best at what they do. We’ve since learned their hearts are equally superior. We are so grateful!”
“Each year over 200 women and children call our shelter home for 6,000 nights a year,” adds Shepherd. “Additionally over 1,600 men, women and children use our building for non-residential counseling, legal advocacy, support groups art therapy and more. A healthy, clean facility is not their first thought when they arrive on our doorstep, but it’s certainly a comfort and benefit to us all.”
“I’m so proud of the entire City Wide family for making this all work,” adds Durham. “Our Vice President of Sales, Chip Miller, agreed to forego associated commissions with the account. The assigned City Wide Quality Control Manager, Mike Townsend, continues to visit the VPC facility regularly to ensure high-quality service is maintained to our standards. And certainly we couldn’t have accomplished this without the eager participation of
About City Wide Maintenance of St. Louis
City Wide Maintenance of St. Louis is a professional management company within the building maintenance industry offering 20 plus services to its commercial clients, including janitorial, carpet cleaning, window washing, parking lot maintenance and many others. City Wide is a “Total Solution” to its clients for building maintenance services.
About the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois
The Violence Prevention Center of SW Illinois is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to eliminating domestic violence in individual lives and society as a whole. The center offers Emergency Shelter for Battered Women, Children’s services, Counseling and Advocacy Services, Prevention and Education Services and a 24-hour Crisis Hotline. According to Mary Lou Shepherd, Executive Director of VPC, “We view our organization as a first step toward peace. We believe all people have the right to be free from harm, to be respected and to determine and pursue their own goals.”
