BOARDMAN, Ohio – A $45,000 donation from #1 Cochran to the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley further demonstrates the partnership between the two entities.
Bob Hannon, president of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, said #1 Cochran is one of the organization’s best partners.
“This is really a combination of their workplace giving and they do promotion over the holidays, Operation Santa,” he said. “For every vehicle they sell, they donate $50 to United Way. We were fortunate to be picked as the nonprofit that is part of this.”
It’s a collaboration between employee giving and the promotion.
“They’ve been a great partner,” Hannon said. “They donate; they volunteer; they advocate for what we do.”
The company presented United Way with a check Monday at its Buick GMC dealership.
Joe Lukich, #1 Cochran Ohio operations platform director, said when the company came into the market in 2023, there was a great relationship between United Way and the Sweeney family from which #1 Cochran bought the Chevrolet and Buick GMC dealerships.
“When we looked at the partnerships that existed, clearly United Way stood really among the best in terms of what they do in the community, the partnership they have with us and the partnerships they have with a lot of the other organizations in the area,” he said.
The Cochran family wanted to continue the giving to United Way that was already in place, Lukich said.
The $45,000 will be used both for the Saturday of Caring program and toward campaign support. Through Saturday of Caring, nearly 500 families, mostly shut-ins, receive food delivered to their homes by United Way volunteers.
Employees from #1 Cochran also volunteer with Saturday of Caring, Hannon said.
When Hannon got involved with the United Way, the Sweeney family owned the dealerships and contributed to the United Way.
“They were all in, supporting United Way, committed to the community,” he explained. “Quite candidly, when Cochran took over, we didn’t know what to expect because their roots were in Pittsburgh.”
But #1 Cochran has continued and even deepened the relationship with United Way.
“Cochran has taken the relationship even to another level,” Hannon said. “They believe in United Way.”
Their employees advocated to continue to get involved. Hannon has met Chairman and CEO Rob Cochran, and his family and others with the company also are involved.
“Cochran has really stepped up in a number of ways, and we’re very appreciative because, sometimes, when local, family-oriented companies sell regional, that hurts an organization like United Way,” Hannon said. “But it’s gone the other way.”
Pictured at top: From left are Joe Lukich of #1 Cochran and Roxann Sebest, Tina Chance and Bob Hannon of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.