Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Shelli Conaway's Conestoga trailer delivering relief in the wake of Hurricane Laura. All photos courtesy of Trucks with Room to Spare.
Trucks with Room to Spare CEO Shelli Conaway Delivers the Good
When not producing content at Consensus, Kate can be found making music. As a performing artist and songwriter, she’s released five albums, two EPs and produced way too many collaborations including books, films, music videos, fashion editorials, and art exhibitions. She holds a B.A. in English and French, summa cum laude from University of Akron and she’s guest lectured at Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities. Called “admirably ambitious” by the Huffington Post, she’s found that gets her in trouble so she’s hiding out in the woods of Ohio finishing a book, a documentary, and a new record.
Drivers hauling hope, one truckload at a time — that’s what Trucks with Room to Spare has been doing since Shelli Conaway launched the Kentucky-based nonprofit in 2018. Since then, the group has delivered crucial supplies in the aftermath of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and fires –there’s nowhere this fleet won’t go. It’s a smart operation, packing trucks already on the route to disaster sites to maximum capacity with vital supplies, saving lives and saving energy while they’re at it. We caught up with Conaway as she was loading a trailer and handling dispatch operations for Hurricane Laura relief. Here’s our conversation from the road, edited for concision.
On the road with CEO Shelli Conaway.<!– wp:paragraph –>
<p>Eologist Brittany Ederer speaks clearly and softly when discussing her childhood. Listeners can almost hear the wistfulness in her memories of growing up in nature:</p>
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<p>“My younger brother and I, with my parents, lived on 35 acres in rural Wisconsin. And I mean, we spent our days mostly playing outside and making up our own games and I would wander sort of in the backwoods pretty frequently and just kind of on walkabout,” then adds laughing, “I think they call it forest bathing now.”</p>
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<p>Her lifelong passion for nature was evident, even if the path to her field of expertise wasn’t always so clear.</p>
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<p>“Yeah, I just love being outside. I considered myself fairly outdoorsy, we fished a lot. And then when I went to college, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, I really had no idea what I wanted to do professionally. I thought I might end up in journalism, or something because I enjoyed writing, but I happened to meet somebody who was majoring in wildlife ecology, and I had never heard of that before. I didn't know that that was something that you could do. And so I checked it out. And I was like, Oh, yeah, this is, this is actually what I want to do. Like I want to be outside, I want my professional attire to be hiking boots, not high heels.”</p>
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<p>She laughs again, “So it was a great fit.”</p>
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<p>As she aged, her growth in her faith did too. She first started attending a Methodist church as a child. ater on, she joined a Free Evangelical Church while attending college, “For a rural person, like me, going to what was a megachurch was something else!” </p>
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<p>Dr. Ederer also links her first awakening to the relationship between the environment and her faith, “I was learning and having my eyes opened to the crazy ways that the world works from an ecological perspective. How everything is connected and interdependent. Human society is completely interdependent with soil microbes, and with pollinators, and a stable climate. And you at some point, we've kind of lost that perspective.”</p>
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<p>Asked to expand on that perspective between humanity and the way the earth works, Dr. Ederer is succinct, “You've got to give back to the land. You can't always be taking. You have to give. There's a reciprocal relationship.”</p>
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<p>She references her “growth” in her faith with frequency, and consistently relays how that informs where she’s been and where she is now. Dr. Ederer cites scripture as a guiding light regarding her chosen field.</p>
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<p>With Colossians, she points out that, “Creation shares in the reconciling work of Christ” and “Creation is not left out, “ before pivoting to a very real example for believers.</p>
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<p>“(On a) visceral, sort of, practical level, Jesus was flesh and blood. He made it clear just by his existence as a human that creation is good. You know, ‘the Son of Man has been eating and drinking’, I don't know the reference for that. And every time we eat and drink, whether it's communion, or breakfast, or dinner, or whatever, we partake of creation and make it part of ourselves. And so, you know, for me, that really underscores that interdependence that God has created a world in which we cannot live well without other <em>members</em> of creation.”</p>
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<p>When asked to illuminate her view on how the discussion about the changing climate has evolved and how it is still discussed within faith-based communities, Dr. Ederer suggests that the conversation is further developing as people of faith are seeing the interconnectivity of a changing environment and many different issues.</p>
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<p>“Ecology is essentially the study of the interconnection of things, at a very basic level, and I feel like the conversation around climate action is going through that process of being connected to other things, because it is. So, I've seen a lot of transformation, you know, from (the view that) climate change (is) hurting people that are really far away, you know, those poor people that are really far away. But hang on a second, this is a justice issue here, you know, for our neighbors. It's a problem of racial injustice. It's a problem of national security. It’s a problem of, you know, actually being faithful to scripture in terms of actually practicing creation care.”</p>
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How did Trucks with Room to Spare get started?
It was Hurricane Michael. I was in Houston, and I had a shipment that was going to Tampa. Of course I had to sit and wait for the storm to pass. While I’m waiting I’m noticing on social media that all these people have needs — water, food, and I’ve got some money, and I’ve got some room on my trailer. So, I hit every truck stop that I could find between Houston and Florida, I bought every case of water I could find. I loaded it on the trailer and strapped it down on the flatbed. They met me on the side of the interstate, I handed it off, and I thought you know, I’m sure there are more trucks coming through. They can do the same thing. So we started a Facebook group trying to match truckers with people that had needs. And it kind of blew up from there.
That’s so powerful. Who’s on the team and how do you keep it all organized?
We’re all trucking industry people, most of us are drivers. We’ve got Shelle Lichti, she’s also president of an organization called LGBT Truckers. Shelle’s our director of operations. She’s my sounding board — when she’s had a bad day she yells at me, and when I’ve had a bad day I yell at her. Lisa and Lee Schmitt handle our agriculture part. They have all the connections for people that haul hay and stuff like that, that we can haul into disaster areas. I have an intern, Elaine Collins, that helps with our Facebook and Instagram. Dave McCauley is our vice president. He does things in the background to help pick us up more sponsors to help pay for our fuel. We donate our services, but these trucks don’t run on love. So we do a lot of fundraising. And then we have Colleen Goodrich and Cheryl Pollard also on our board. They help with the back office stuff and keeping my head on straight. We’re all truck drivers except for Elaine.
Most of the people you mentioned are women, that’s maybe not what people on the outside of the industry would expect. Could you talk about being a woman in trucking?
When I first started back in the late 80s there weren’t a whole lot of us out here. The women that were out here were mostly driving with their husbands. I started out driving by myself, I’ve always been a solo driver, and the industry has come a long way, it really has for women. There’s a lot more respect, but just like in anything, respect is earned. Most of the men out here feel if you can do the job, then you deserve to be out here. As in anything that there’s an emotional attachment to, women are drawn to that, more so than men. So it kind of makes sense that a lot of the people that are into disaster relief are female. There is an emotional attachment to the disaster.
Rescue worker Char Merrill-Swalberg surveys the shipment.<!– wp:paragraph –>
<p>From wildfires to hurricanes to just making it through the pandemic, we’re all thinking about survival these days. We’ve lived through the run on toilet paper, hand sanitizer, <a href="https://garden-and-health.com/2020/06/08/how-to-make-the-yeast-of-it/">flour and yeast</a> and now, we’re eyeing those 72-hour emergency kits on Instagram, wondering which one is the right one for the job. And beyond that, is it worth the money? Can we DIY this thing?</p>
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<p>Ultimate guru of family management,<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jordanpage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Jordan Page</a> makes feeding and stylishly clothing her eight children on a <a href="https://funcheaporfree.com/meal-planning-for-family-of-8/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tiny budget</a> seem simultaneously simple and impossible. Not surprisingly, she’s got the family preparedness thing on lock, and <a href="https://youtu.be/m7W7m7SFrug" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">she and her husband Bubba kindly share how they pack and maintain their emergency kits</a>, as well as their 3 month pantry of <a href="https://funcheaporfree.com/what-is-shelf-cooking-plus-the-official-shelftember-challenge-freezer-giveaway/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shelf cooking</a> splendor. On funcheaporfree.com, she writes: “The FACT is, 100% of us will be affected by a natural disaster, job loss, personal injury, or financial stress at some point. By having some necessities on-hand, you can be self-sufficient and *hopefully* provide for your family, so you can then turn around and help others. We are definitely not doomsdayers, but we DO believe that emergency prep is important!”</p>
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<p>So do we… and, we know it can be a bit overwhelming. But Jordan and Bubba promise, <a href="https://funcheaporfree.com/emergency-prep-food-storage-why-you-need-it-how-to-afford-it-and-where-to-start/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">getting ready for whatever is to come doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming or stressful</a>. Here are a few ways to begin. </p>
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<h3 class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"><strong>Get back to the basics</strong></h3>
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<h5 class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">What do you truly<em> need </em>in an emergency? </h5>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-style-default"><p>• Food</p><p>• Water</p><p>• Shelter</p><p>• Medicine</p><p>• First aid </p><p>• Cash</p><p>• And whatever your child or baby needs based on their age </p></blockquote>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://rootandvinenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/09/AdobeStock_265954455.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-395" /></figure>
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<p><strong>OK… so <em>how much</em> of all that do I need? </strong></p>
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<p>Jordan Page suggests you consider the amount of food you would purchase to feed your family for one day and multiply that by seven. Start with a week’s supply and then expand it to a month and then three months. If you really want to go for it, you can gradually stockpile food that will last not only months, but years, like wheat, rice and beans. Check out <a href="https://www.costco.com/emergency-kits-supplies.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Costco’s emergency food kits </a>if you’d rather buy something already put together. </p>
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<p><strong>Where do I keep all this food? </strong></p>
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<p>Take a common sense approach and make sure your stockpile is well-packaged in airtight plastic or metal containers. Store your food in a cool dry place. It’s best if it’s accessible enough to rotate as your supply grows. </p>
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<p><strong>Don’t forget the water </strong></p>
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<p>Make sure your water is filtered and safe for drinking, and then store it in sturdy containers that won’t leak or break easily, like clean plastic bottles from juice or soda. Store containers away from heat and direct sunlight. It’s not a bad idea to keep several gallons in the garage near your car to just grab and go.</p>
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<p><strong>Start small </strong></p>
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<p>Emergencies can require us to evacuate with little to no notice, sometimes on foot. Having three days of supplies that you can carry with you is a good start to getting to a place of safety. There are multiple<a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=72+hour+kit&ref=nb_sb_noss_2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> 72-hour kits available for purchase.</a> We like the kits from <a href="https://judy.co/pages/exclusive-offer?fbclid=PAAaZUYcawPSZNlTiEzM55C7vHjOCZVLlC9I2DPlOGijvH_uxFgcmNXxNR7no&utm_campaign=L5+%7C+ACQ+%7C+Interests+%7C+8.11.2020&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_source=ig" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Judy</a>, but you can find kits pretty much anywhere, at surplus stores, <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/b/Tools-Safety-Security-Home-Safety-Emergency-Preparedness-Emergency-Response-Kits/N-5yc1vZc26t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Home Depot,</a> Costco, wherever you shop. </p>
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<p><strong>Don’t break the bank </strong></p>
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<p>Part of emergency preparedness includes having enough financial reserve to cover unanticipated costs or interruptions in income, so if an emergency kit isn’t in your budget right now, you can build one slowly over time. Same goes for your food stockpile. Try buying one extra of every pantry item on your grocery list and you’ll be stocked up in no time. Or, do it coupon style and get one more of every sale item on each shopping trip. </p>
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<h3></h3>
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<p>We’ve combined suggestions from <a href="https://www.ready.gov/kit">The Department of Homeland Security</a>,<a href="https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/ready_emergency-supply-kit-checklist.pdf"> FEMA,</a> and Jordan Page for our list. Select what makes sense for you and the climate where you live and put it all together in a <a href="https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/816?page=backpacks">backpack</a> for each member of your household. You can also fill out this<a href="https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/create-your-family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf"> Family Emergency Communication Plan</a> to stay organized. </p>
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<ul><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ready.gov/food" target="_blank">Food</a> including protein bars, jerky, (at least a three-day supply of non-perishables per person)</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ready.gov/water" target="_blank">Water</a> (one gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation)</li><li>Refillable water bottle </li><li>Water filter straw </li><li>Can opener and utensils as needed </li><li>First aid kit</li><li>Hand sanitizer</li><li>Prescription medicines </li><li>Glasses, contact lenses </li><li>Feminine products</li><li>Antibacterial wipes</li><li>Toothpaste and toothbrush</li><li>Garbage bags and plastic ties </li><li>Paper towels </li><li>Change of clothes, sweatshirt, long pants, underwear, warm socks, hat, gloves (Prepare for cold nights, you can always remove clothes.) </li><li>Poncho</li><li>Hand crank radio / NOAA weather radio with tone alert</li><li>Solar powered flashlight and/or hand-crank flashlight</li><li>Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery</li><li>Extra batteries</li><li>Whistle (to signal for help)</li><li>Dust mask (in case of contaminated air)</li><li>Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ready.gov/shelter" target="_blank">shelter in place</a>)</li><li>Emergency blanket </li><li>Wrench or pliers (to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ready.gov/safety-skills" target="_blank">turn off utilities</a>)</li><li>Pocket knife (keep away from the kiddos) </li><li>Matches in waterproof container </li><li>Headlamp </li><li>Glow Sticks (function as flares and emergency flashlight) </li><li>Hand Warmers (if you live in a cold climate)</li><li>Local maps</li><li>Copies of important papers, driver's license and birth certificates (in watertight plastic bag or laminated) </li><li>Sharpies </li><li>Cash</li></ul>
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<p><strong>With baby on board</strong></p>
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<ul><li>Diapers and wipes</li><li>Infant formula, bottles, pacifier</li><li>Children’s over the counter fever reliever </li></ul>
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<p><strong>For the kiddos </strong></p>
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<ul><li>Coloring books and games</li><li>Tennis ball (check out this Bubba hack where a<a href="https://funcheaporfree.com/emergency-prep-food-storage-why-you-need-it-how-to-afford-it-and-where-to-start/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> tennis ball doubles as toy and survival tool</a>) </li></ul>
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<p><strong>Don’t forget the pets! </strong></p>
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<ul><li>Food</li><li>Extra water </li></ul>
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<p><strong>Extras to keep at the ready </strong></p>
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<ul><li>Pet carriers and/or leashes</li><li>Sleeping bags </li><li>Extra diapers and wipes </li><li>Fire extinguisher</li><li>Solar charger</li><li>Mini cooking stove </li></ul>
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<p><strong>Okay, that’s a lot. </strong></p>
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<p>We know, but some of the items are likely already in your possession, it’s just a matter of organizing them in a backpack and keeping it by the door. Take your preparation one step at a time and before you know it, you’ll have your own comprehensive kit. Then designate an easy to access spot in your home for everyone’s kits. FEMA recommends a separate kit for the car, and one to keep with you at work. </p>
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<p><strong>Now that you’re all ready… </strong></p>
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<p>Don’t forget to update your emergency supplies every year. Swap out batteries, new sizes of clothing for growing kids, expired food and medicines, and keep that water fresh. You’ve got this!</p>
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That’s a great point. How active is the organization? How often are you out on a relief effort?
Anytime there is a disaster, we’re available. We’ve worked through COVID, helping to transport hand sanitizer and masks, distributing masks to other truck drivers. Because while everybody at home is able to go to the store and buy this stuff, we truck drivers, we don’t have that luxury. We had a harder time getting the PPE that was needed to protect us. So we organized and worked with that. We worked the fires. We’ve got a shipment that’s going to be coming up here in a couple of weeks to support the fires in Colorado. We supported the flooding in the Midwest, the flooding in Michigan. Anytime there’s something going on and there’s something that needs to be moved, we try to do it.
What’s the current status down in Louisiana where you’re heading?
The photos and the updates that I’m getting, it’s bad. We desperately need more trucks. We need donations. If there are companies out there that can donate food, cleaning supplies, tarps ice — ice is a major need for these people. We need drivers to help transport it. We need drivers and pickup trucks and trailers too because some of these areas they can still only access with four wheelers.
How can people get involved?
They can go to truckswithroomtospare.org and they’re welcome to donate there. Or find us on Facebook. If they’re interested in helping out, they’re more than welcome to send in a comment on our website or they can give us a call at 866-303-0388.
Let’s shift gears for a moment. For you, what’s the best part of being a truck driver?
I don’t have a boss standing over me. I really don’t like the idea of being in a cubicle. I have a degree in human resources, I was a director of human resources for a defense contractor for a little while and I just didn’t like being closed in. Out here, it’s a new thing every day. I like learning and things being different.
What’s your one word — one word to describe you or just a word that you keep in your mind as a sort of intention?
It would have to be two words — ‘controlled chaos.’ I have a lot of irons in the fire. I work for a small husband and wife owner-operator, out of Richland, Indiana. I run every day, five days a week, sometimes on weekends. I still do this from the cab and he’s constantly looking at me going, ‘Why do you do this? People don’t appreciate it.’ And I’m like ‘I do it, because that’s what I do.’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, but I’m seeing you on Facebook at midnight when you should be asleep’ and I’m like, ‘Well somebody needed something!’ I like being in the middle of things. I’ve always been the type of person if I see a problem, I try to figure out how to fix it. I guess it’s just another challenge I’m looking to tackle.
It’s a really impactful challenge. What would you suggest to anyone wanting to get out on the road and become a truck driver?
Check out your driver training school, if you’re going to go to school, and realize you’re not going to learn everything that you need to know there. Listen to the old timers. I know a lot of us, we rattle on about the good old days, but you can get a lot of good information and things that will help you on the road, by listening to the people that have been out here for a long time doing it. I still learn every day by listening to people and I’ve been out here over almost 30 years.
