In 2018, we launched our new #SHCCares campaign, which is a community outreach campaign that encourages employees and customers to give back to the area we live in and serve. Our employees are given opportunities to volunteer or give in certain ways and our most recent initiative was the “Stuffed Animal Drive” that benefited children undergoing treatment or care at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

This year, we were able to collect 305 stuffed animals for kids at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital! We accomplished this by receiving donations of stuffed animals and monetary donations from our customers that we matched dollar-for-dollar. We want to say THANK YOU to everyone who was involved in making this stuffed animal drive a success. We know that the stuffed animals will bring smiles and comfort to many children that are facing a difficult time in the hospital as they are away from home.

“We originally had a goal of 100 stuffed animals and after the first week knew we would surpass that goal and just decided to get as many as we could. It was wonderful to see the SHC team members getting involved, donations from our clients and other community partners. We really appreciate all the donations and taking them up to Doernbecher’s was an amazing experience.”

Check out the final result in our video:

It’s important for us to be an active part of the local community and giving back is one way we show our support and love for our community and customers. To learn more about our SHCCares program.

This past Saturday a team of Specialty Heating & Cooling employees volunteered their time at the Oregon Humane Society through our giving back program, SHCCares. Our time was in remembrance of Ben Snodgrass. Ben was a long time employee of Specialty Heating & Cooling who passed away earlier this year. He loved animals and his family had asked that his memory be carried on through supporting the Oregon Humane Society.

While at the Oregon Humane Society, the group worked on cleaning up the dog-walking paths behind the facility. We also learned about the history of OHS & the organization’s long-term goals for expansion. We also had a tour of the facility and got information about additional volunteering that we can do as a group in the future. One of our favorite parts was meeting several dogs as they were being walked along the path.

“I have known about OHS for a long time and have adopted a dog from them in the past, but did not know about all the history and what they do as an organization beyond adoptions. It was a great way to remember Ben in this special way. I also enjoyed spending time with our staff outside of work, we have great people who work for us!” – Owner, Sarah Streeter

“I had a great day of giving my time to an organization that I love. All of my life, my pets have been adopted from shelters. I enjoyed spending time with my co-workers outside of office hours working on a project to service our community. A part of our time at OHS was spent on a tour of their facilities learning about their various programs that they offer to our community. I am very much looking forward to contributing on future projects.” – Tanya S.

“I would like to thank Specialty Heating and Cooling and the Oregon Humane Society for providing the opportunity to honor Ben Snodgrass, by volunteering as a group. OHS was an organization that Ben was very fond of and after seeing what it is they do, I think we all understand why Ben was so fond of them. Having 13 co-workers participate in the maintenance of the walking trails was very rewarding and a fantastic way to honor Ben. If you haven’t volunteered at OHS please consider doing so, the work they do for all the animals is amazing.” – Jeff S.

We love being a part of the local community and giving back.

Jennifer has a long history of volunteerism and is passionate about giving back to the community around her. Some of her current volunteer positions include serving as the Treasurer for the Scott Mills Community Center Association.

Jennifer has a long history of volunteerism and is passionate about giving back to the community around her. Some of her current volunteer positions include serving as the Treasurer for the Scott Mills Community Center Association. There, she takes care of the banking, files legal documents such as taxes and Secretary of State filings and the Department of Justice filings. She also purchases supplies for the building, reviews and pays bills related to building maintenance and activity expenses, and helps prepare special events like the Easter Egg Hunt (which is one of her most memorable and favorite events), the pumpkin carving party for Halloween, and more. Another thing she has participated in is handing out Christmas food boxes for people in need. Jennifer also has experience working for the Scott Mills Grange #938 where she worked as an interim rental agent, interim facilities agent, and interim communications agent.

When asked why it was important for her to spend time volunteering, Jennifer responded that it’s been something that was instilled in her from a young age. She says, “I grew up with a strong sense of volunteering – even in those younger years when it wasn’t so much volunteering as being told by my mom that I would help. I grew up in this very small community and my mother was always helping everyone and any group that asked or would accept her help. She used to always say that we have to help each other because if we don’t, no one else will. I guess I just don’t know any different. My parents were also some of the founding members of the Scotts Mills Community Center and it means a lot to me to keep the Community Center thriving.”

Jennifer’s advice to people that are thinking about volunteering is to dive in and get involved, because it can truly enrich your life. She shares, “It has become a way of life and a great way to get to know my neighbors and community members as well as be informed about what is going on in my community.”

Happy Earth Day! Being earth friendly and environmentally conscious goes beyond recycling. Did you know that heating and cooling accounts for most of the energy use from your home? Cutting back in this area can make a great positive impact on the environment. Here are some heating and cooling tips for you to put into practice this Earth Day and for the rest of the year!

Tip #1: Get a new thermostat installed.
A new thermostat can make a huge difference in reducing energy waste and keeping you more comfortable all year long. Programmable thermostats are the wave of the future! They allow you to set your home to your desired temperature and change it as needed during the day. This means you can determine what you need and when you need to use it. For example, if you are gone at work for most of the day, why use the heater or air conditioner? Program your thermostat to turn down the temperature when you’re gone, then program it to turn back on shortly before you arrive back home so it’s comfortable when you walk in the door. A wireless thermostat can save you up to 20% on your energy bill and they can be used in tandem with almost any existing HVAC system.

Tip #2: Make sure you schedule a preventative maintenance appointment.
HVAC tune-ups are something that many homeowners forget about but staying on top of these appointments are critical to maintain the life of your system and can also help with reducing energy waste! Springtime brings warmer, longer days, and before you know it, summer temperatures will be here. Now is the perfect time to get your air conditioning unit serviced, so you know it will be up and running at peak efficiency when it comes time to hit the “on” button. Our team of experienced HVAC technicians will make sure the system is running well, we’ll clean the filters, and make sure there are no parts that need to be replaced. If a repair is needed, we will let you know and get it fixed right away so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

We’re committed to being green!

We regularly recycle significant amounts of refrigerant, oil and metal. Many consumers don’t realize that this is a big deal in the heating and cooling industry! In 2017, we recycled 187,251 pounds (93.6 tons) of scrap metals. We also recycled 558 pounds of R22 refrigerant that is enough refrigerant for 117 air conditioners. All the refrigerant we reclaim can be recycled and reused. If it can be recycled, we will take every effort to do so. We take great pride in trying to conserve our Earth’s resources.

If you are looking for ways to focus on the Earth this Earth Day, look no further than your heating and cooling system! Contact us for a preventative maintenance appointment or call us to talk about options on upgrading your system to a new, energy efficient one. We are happy to work with you to find a system that is right for your home’s specific layout and will work within your budget!

Pack the Vans was a huge success! View the pictures and videos below to see how much was donated, and you can see that the vans were definitely PACKED. Thank you so much to everyone who supported Specialty Heating & Cooling and The Good Neighbor Center. Everyone who donated to Pack the Vans, you truly helped make a difference in many people’s lives!

While Pack the Vans may be over, people and families are always in need, if you are looking for further involvement or wanting to donate please visit Good Neighbor Center online today.