Nashville’s M&W Logistics Wins 2024 Frontline Heroes Award
October 13, 2024
From left to right, son Scott McFarlin; M&W Founder and father Jim McFarlin; M&W CEO and son Mike McFarlin; and granddaughter Sarah McFarlin. (M&W Logistics)
M&W Logistics Group has long believed in supporting its local Nashville community, so when the call came for help building a shelter for at-risk women, it stepped up. The years-long effort by the Nashville Rescue Mission culminated in January with the opening of the facility, but M&W’s participation throughout the project was just one example of its year-round commitment to helping those in need in its hometown.
“Having a safe place to rest every night and nourishing food to eat are the most basic and most important of needs that many of us take for granted,” M&W said in comments provided to Transport Topics. “The Nashville Rescue Mission is a Christ-centered organization that aids in helping those experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet through providing not only food and a place to sleep, but they rebuild lives through providing hope to all that walk through their doors.”
M&W CEO Mike McFarlin recalled being approached several years ago to help build the shelter, recognizing the opportunity to support the organization significantly.
“M&W has actively been involved with the Mission’s fundraising efforts for many years,” M&W said. The new shelter is equipped with about 100 beds to offer women and children a safe place to stay.
Founded in 1973, Nashville-based M&W is a family-owned warehouse and distribution company. For its longstanding commitment to helping those in need across its local community, M&W Logistics is being recognized as a 2024 Transport Topics Trucking’s Frontline Heroes Award recipient.
The Tennessee Trucking Association’s charity foundation has welcomed support from M&W over the years. The two have partnered on numerous projects, including the association’s Haulin’ for the Holidays and the Big Rigs for Little Kids Golf Tournament. The fifth annual Haulin’ for the Holidays initiative last year raised $100,000 to provide clothing, food and toys to families across Tennessee. And the Big Rigs for Little Kids events have raised more than $2 million for children’s charities and scholarships in the state since the program’s founding in 1989.
“M&W has felt the importance of partnering with the great works our association is involved with across the state,” the company said. “Since the inception of the Tennessee Trucking Foundation, M&W has played a part in helping raise over $2.4 million for various children’s charities such as the Ronald McDonald House and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital through support of the TTA’s annual golf tournament.”
Many M&W staff are active in the association. McFarlin is regional vice chairman, and M&W Director of Safety Chris Woody is involved with the group’s safety and maintenance council for middle Tennessee. Sales Manager Sarah Heffington serves as the chairman for the middle Tennessee Young Professional Council.
“Our involvement in our state association has brought great value to our organization over the years and has aided in our ability to be able to bless others,” M&W said.
One event brings with it some star power.
“We sponsor and attend the ‘Mission Possible Turkey Fry’ put on by country singer and songwriter Tracy Lawrence,” M&W said. “Every year Tracy and a legion of volunteers fry over a thousand turkeys that the shelter uses for Thanksgiving meals for our community. Several of our employees and the TTA’s Young Professional council have also been involved in volunteering and serving meals throughout the years.”
M&W has also supported other nonprofits and charitable organizations such as Youth Encouragement Services, the American Logistics Aid Network, GraceWorks, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Wreaths Across America.
“Especially in these times, there are many individuals and organizations that need our support and are far less fortunate than ourselves,” M&W said. “We realize the weight of that responsibility.”
That weight was particularly felt during the October 2023 ribbon-cutting for the mission facility.
“Building something of the magnitude of a women’s shelter takes involvement from the entire community, and we are proud to have been blessed with supporting this great work that will benefit women and children for many years to come,” the company said. “We were excited to be there for the ribbon cutting.”
M&W added, “We have been blessed over the years with great employees as well as customers, and it is in our company’s DNA to give back as we have been prospered.”
