CertaPro: Theft of Van Threatens Employee’s Livelihood

Cesar P. is a painter and valued member of the CertaPro Painters of Duluth & Norcross team. In January, Cesar’s van, which contained all of his painting equipment and tools, was stolen while parked in front of his home. In an instant, he lost his livelihood and ability to provide for his family.

Franchise owner Bill Siegel generously provided a loan to help Cesar replace his van but his losses were much greater than a vehicle. In order to work, Cesar needed to replace the equipment and tools that were stolen, and this posed a significant financial hardship for him. Every day Cesar was out of work made it more difficult to provide for his family, pay his housing expenses and keep up with his bills.

Caring Colleagues Helped with Grant Application

Fortuitously, during the CertaPro Painters Conference in January, FirstService Brands CEO Charlie Chase spoke about the FirstService Relief Fund and how the grant program was established to help our people facing financial hardship. Cesar’s colleagues applied for the grant on his behalf and were delighted to learn his application had been approved and he would be receiving financial support to help him during his difficult time. The grant allowed Cesar to replace the stolen items and get back on his feet.

Today, Cesar is happy to be back to work and extremely grateful for the support of his colleagues at CertaPro who helped him, and for all of those in the FirstService family who contributed to the Relief Fund and made the grant possible for him.

“It is something very special when you are facing a difficult time and you are able to get help you need,” said Cesar. “I’m very lucky to work for a company that truly cares for its people. This made a big difference for me and my family and I cannot thank you enough.”

We encourage all employees to familiarize themselves with the Relief Fund. It’s helpful to understand the types of situations which may qualify someone for a grant, and also understand the guidelines of the Fund with respect to length of time one has following their “Qualified Event” to apply for a grant.

How You Can Help

If you know someone who may need assistance, please direct them to www.firstservicerelief.com. If you are already contributing to the Fund through automatic payroll donations, thank you. If you haven’t set yours up yet, we encourage you to do so. Every dollar makes a difference and your support allows us to help Cesar and other colleagues whose lives have been turned upside down due to unexpected personal crises.