Supporting Kelowna Families, One Move at a Time

Commercial moving if far from glamorous. You don't get the satisfaction of seeing families move into their new homes, there's no hugs, and there's very little appreciation for all the preparation that went in. But not all commercial moves are the same. And for Two Small Men mover Kerry Wallace, one particular commercial move stayed with him long after it was over.

Mamas for Mamas is an organization that originates from the Okanagan and which currently exists as a national network supporting families across Canada. Over the years, they have sought the services of Two Small Men quite a bit.

“We work with Mamas for Mamas in Kelowna here,” Kerry said. “That one always sticks with me.”

Although beautiful to look at, Kelowna is not without its share of social hardships. Because of the cost of housing and other financial burdens, many families rely on community support. Mamas for Mamas is there to alleviate situational poverty, new immigrants, refugees, and single parents amongst others. Helping this organization with a move tends to stand out.

“We were moving pallets of car seats and booster seats for moms,” Kerry explained. “I’m thinking there had to be a couple hundred of them.”

The logistics were relatively straight forward. Some of the items went to Vernon, while others went into storage containers to be distributed later. More still was staying in Kelowna for local assistance.

“There were a couple different drop-off points,” Kerry said. “But overall, it was pretty straightforward. There were no issues with it at all.”

The move may have been simple, but the intention behind the move felt significant. Each delivery was directly helping a family in need of keeping their children safe.

“You know you’re not just moving stuff,” Kerry said. “You’re helping the community. You’re helping people who need it.”

It was all part of Two Small Men's annual 101 Moves campaign, which runs across all 13 markets the company operates in. During this initiative the focus is put on donating time, trucks, and labor to nonprofit organizations.

“The average move is usually around $1,000 for most standard house moves,” said Kristin Sherlock, the sales specialist who coordinates community moves. “It can be a lot more when it’s someone moving their office. So when we move an office for PADS or Mamas for Mamas, it’s a huge expense for them.”

This allows the nonprofits in question to save money which can be invested back into the community. Two Small Men in the past has also donated moves to PADS, Trellis, the Women’s Centre of Calgary, Nisa Homes, the YWCA, the Alberta Children’s Hospital, and other community partners.

By covering those costs, the campaign allows nonprofits to redirect funds back into their missions. In past years, the program has supported organizations including Mamas for Mamas, PADS, Trellis, the Women’s Centre of Calgary, Nisa Homes, the YWCA, the Alberta Children’s Hospital, and other community partners.

Anita Chowdhury, who works with Mamas for Mamas, has seen the impact firsthand. “Most of our clients are low-income families, new immigrants, new refugees, and anyone facing situational poverty,” she said. “Two Small Men recently moved us from our old office to our newer one. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to move.”

For Kerry, the donated moves offer a sense of pride. “It’s actually satisfying knowing you’re helping the community,” he said. “I wish we could do more of it.”

The campaign also resonates with the crews themselves. “A few of them that I’ve talked to are super excited to be able to go out and help and make a difference,” Sherlock said. “It’s a nice change from the norm. Everybody needs movers, but in these cases, they’re needed that much more.”

While winter tends to be a slower season for moving, it's projects like these that make Kerry feel alive.

“You feel good at the end of the day,” he said. “You know your work mattered.”

Even though he doesn't know which families specifically benefited from these donations, he can still appreciate the difference that is being made.

“It would’ve been nice to know exactly where everything went,” he said. “But you know it’s helping people, and that’s the important part. It feels good to be part of something like that. You’re doing your job, but you’re also giving back at the same time.”

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