Briefly: Estes had busy, generous 2024 with Open Heart, Open Road program -

Estes Express Lines recently announced it reached new heights with its charitable giving program: Open Heart, Open Road in 2024.

Among the activities that set 2024 apart from previous years was the expansion of its employee-directed giving campaign to include Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Operation Homefront, and Active Minds to the list of beneficiaries.

Another major Open Heart, Open Road highlight was the launching of a trailer wrap campaign to raise awareness about the network of nonprofits Estes contributes to as part of Open Heart, Open Road. Additionally, Estes donated its skills in logistics to support various organizations that needed to move goods.

“Estes’ Open Heart, Open Road program continues to grow to meet the needs of our employees and our communities, just as it was envisioned,” said Webb Estes, president and COO. “Adding these new charities was welcomed by everyone and generated tremendous support from our employees. Each year’s results are exciting and insightful as they reveal what’s on the team’s hearts and minds.”

Estes’ annual Open Heart, Open Road employee-directed giving campaign allocates a donation of $500,000 across several nonprofits, each selected by Estes employees through a company-wide nomination and voting process. For the 2025 campaign, the two organizations to receive the most employee votes are Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the American Cancer Society. The full list of nonprofits to receive financial support from Estes through the 2025 Open Heart, Open Road employee-directed giving campaign includes:

Active Minds

Alzheimer’s Association

American Cancer Society

American Diabetes Association

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

ASPCA

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

National Forest Foundation

Operation Homefront

Special Olympics

Team Estes Employee Relief Fund

Estes is also wrapping select trailers to raise awareness about these nonprofits its employees. In November, the first wrapped trailers hit the road with messaging supporting the American Diabetes Association. Over the next year, Estes will roll out additional trailer wraps, highlighting the Open Heart, Open Road organizations.

Another meaningful way Estes gives back is by delivering goods to, or on behalf of, nonprofits that need that type of support. For example:

In November, for the fourth consecutive year, Estes delivered nearly 450 bicycles to Richmond Area Bicycling Association. Once assembled, the bikes were gifted to Richmond-area children through nonprofit partners in time for holiday gifting.

In September, Estes and its employees delivered a trailer of books to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

In August, Estes teamed up with the VCU Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive to deliver thousands of backpacks filled with school supplies to students attending Title 1 schools in the Richmond area.