“Hello and good morning!
My name is Lance Buttermore and I am a BCO here. From my family of eight we just want to say thank you. We received a blessing with some financial problems we were having just after having twins right before Christmas.
My wife is a disabled vet and stay at home mother to our four children along with two foster children. We all just want to say thank you for everything you guys do to help us. I’ve never seen a company that has a heart like this.
Thank you for everything, Lance Buttermore”
On January 15, 2019, Landstar Transportation Logistics Vice President of BCO Retention Gregg Nelson received a thank you letter from independent owner-operator Lance Buttermore. The Landstar business capacity owner (BCO) who received financial assistance from the BCO Benevolence Fund says despite some hardships, 2018 gave him many, many reasons to be thankful.
Last year, Buttermore successfully and safely completed his first year leased to Landstar. He grew his business and his family, when his wife Melissa gave birth to their twin girls, making them a family of eight.
“When my wife went into labor with my daughters, I was able to get home because of the Landstar network,” says BCO Lance Buttermore. “Landstar is an amazing company and the support they give owner-operators is like nothing I’ve heard of. If I’d been with another company, I might not have made it home to see their birth.”
After a few weeks home, it was time for Buttermore to get back to his business to support his wife and six daughters. But, his truck wouldn’t cooperate.
“My truck broke down and I was putting money into it all the time to keep it running,” says Buttermore. “It was one thing after another. When I was talking to a fellow BCO about all of the truck problems, he told me about the Landstar BCO Benevolence Fund. He said, ‘you have a lot going on and that’s what the fund is designed for, helping BCOs in hard times.’ So, we applied thinking maybe we could get a little bit of help.”
The Landstar BCO Benevolence Fund was established in 2005 to distribute financial aid to qualified BCOs who are faced with hardships and do not have the assets to meet their existing financial obligations and/or immediate basic living expenses for their families due to unforeseen circumstances.
“When we received the funds we were astounded by the generosity. It helped us get through a very difficult time. It allowed us to make our car payment on time, it gave us grocery money and helped us pay off bills. I’ve never been part of an organization that helps like this,” says Buttermore. “That support from Landstar made such a difference for my family. We cannot thank Landstar enough.”
In 2018, Landstar agents, BCOs and employees alike generously contributed more than $91,000 to the fund. Last year, a total of $27,550 in aid was distributed and Buttermore was one of 26 Landstar BCOs who received assistance. Medical related costs comprised 42 percent of the funds awarded, another 42 percent aided with weather-related incidents, and 15 percent of the financial assistance was for other reasons such as funeral expenses, a house fire and post-accident care.
To find out if you qualify, or to learn more information regarding Landstar’s Benevolence Fund, contact Landstar BCO Services at 1-800-872-9541 or email bcofund@landstar.com.
Landstar BCOs and truck operators employed by Landstar BCOs, and their immediate family members, are eligible to receive assistance from the BCO Benevolence Fund. Contributions for the Benevolence Fund are collected throughout the year at Landstar’s various annual events, such as Landstar BCO Appreciation Days.
The BCO Benevolence Fund Inc. is a nonprofit corporation and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as an organization exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the International Revenue Code. Contributions to the fund are tax deductible. The BCO Benevolence Fund Inc. was founded by Landstar System, Inc. and its affiliated companies (“Landstar”). The fund is a public charity that is separate and independent from Landstar. This announcement is made by and on behalf of Landstar and should not be considered as a solicitation for charitable contributions or on behalf of the BCO Benevolence Fund, Inc.