Moving Company Does Something Great for Survivors of Domestic Violence
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It's already difficult to get out of an abusive relationship, but one company is helping women make the difficult choice to leave a little easier.
A California moving company is making this possible by providing free moving services for victims of domestic abuse.
RELATED: A Domestic Abuse Victim Has a Message That's Being Heard Around the World
Meathead Movers, which was started in 1997 by brothers Aaron and Evan Steed, employs student athletes to help move the belongings of survivors of domestic violence for free. The company works with a number of different groups, most notably, the Good Shepherd Shelter — an organization that relocates mothers and children who leave domestic violence.
“I can’t think of a more powerful and impactful way to utilize our moving services than to offer free moves to victims fleeing abusive relationships and then again when it is time to move on to the next, better, phase of life,” said Aaron to the Business Journal.
But originally, that wasn't the vision. In high school, the brothers needed a way to help pay for their athletics and moving around furniture seemed like a great way to earn a little extra money. So, the brothers got to work, first helping to move furniture for family friends and then victims in abusive relationships, according to the company's website.
During the first few years of the business, Aaron described how often he received distressed phone calls by people — mostly women — asking for his help.
"To our unfortunate surprise, during the first two or three years running the company, I'd be the one who would pick up the calls," Aaron told the Los Angeles Times. "I'd periodically get calls from someone--usually a woman--fleeing an abusive relationship. There were a lot of intense moments and crying. I remember the conversations pretty vividly and feeling a tremendous amount of panic and sadness. Handling those phone calls made it very real very quick. As the jobs went on, we realized we were potentially saving lives."
How one move changed everything
One woman's boyfriend threw a toaster toward a wall and accused the brothers of stealing during a move one day. After witnessing those abusive actions, the brothers made it policy not to charge anyone who was attempting to escape from a hostile situation, The Times reports.
Apart from helping men and women in abusive relationships, the company also prides itself for imploring great customer service. According to the company's website, movers go through extensive interviews and military training in order to be considered for the job. It also has created Princess Packers, a sister company that donates money to a fund that provides grants for children whose families have fallen on tough times.
Meathead Movers, which began in San Luis Obispo, is the now largest independent moving company in California and now has offices in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, according to the company's website.
