Case Studies > Outsourcing Captures More Nonprofit Donations

Outsourcing Captures More Nonprofit Donations

Customer Company Size

Large Corporate

Region

America

Country

United States

Product

C.H. Robinson's Inbound Logistics Program
C.H. Robinson's Transportation Program

Tech Stack

LTL Consolidation
Rail and Truck Transportation
Warehousing

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Customer Satisfaction
Waste Reduction

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Networks & Connectivity - Low-Power Wide-Area Network

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation
Warehouse & Inventory Management

Use Cases

Fleet Management
Supply Chain Visibility
Warehouse Automation

Services

System Integration

About The Customer

Harvest Time International (Harvest Time Int’l) is a nonprofit organization that distributes food, clothing, household goods, and medical supplies to over 500 local, national, and international ministries and nonprofit organizations. Since its inception in 1991, Harvest Time Int’l has served more than 20 million people and has received the “Best in America” seal from the Independent Charities of America. The organization’s mission is to increase donations and serve more people through an expanded distribution program. Harvest Time Int’l’s donors are located around the country and value relationships with organizations that can pick up donations quickly and efficiently.

The Challenge

Harvest Time Int’l’s goal to increase donations and serve more people could not be accomplished without an expanded distribution program. The organization needed to optimize donations by contracting with individual transportation providers and geographically favorable warehouse space, which was often time-consuming and expensive. Load flexibility was also crucial, as donors had varying quantities of products to donate. To satisfy donors’ demands for load flexibility and quick response times, Harvest Time Int’l needed a strategy for collecting LTLs within hours of being notified, requiring cost-efficient warehousing and transportation.

The Solution

C.H. Robinson developed an outsource solution for Harvest Time Int’l that includes inbound logistics and customized pickup plans for donations, as well as LTL consolidation, rail and truck transportation, warehousing, and scheduling of donated product shipments. The transportation program quickly improved Harvest Time Int’l’s response time and increased product donations from existing and new donors. C.H. Robinson oversees a matrix of local transportation and warehouse operators near several donor reclamation and distribution centers, providing daily less than truckload (LTL) pickup and storage. As LTL loads are aggregated into more economical full truckloads, they are either shipped to Harvest Time Int’l by C.H. Robinson or rerouted by Harvest Time Int’l directly to other ministries or nonprofits. The program accommodates donors who have neither storage space for donations nor yard equipment by arranging for a drop trailer to be placed at the dock door. When the trailer is full, C.H. Robinson picks it up and drops off another empty trailer to be filled.

Operational Impact

C.H. Robinson’s solution-driven approach to outsourcing, along with consistent, detailed cost accounting and reporting, has allowed Harvest Time Int’l to focus on its core ministry of helping others in need.
The alliance of Harvest Time Int’l’s network and C.H. Robinson’s logistics expertise and capabilities will greatly increase Harvest Time Int’l’s capacity to secure new donor partners and better serve local, national, and international needs.
The success of the outsource program benefits all parties involved. Harvest Time Int’l receives more donated products without incurring the high costs of LTL transportation. People in need gain access to more services. Donors face lower handling, transportation, and disposal costs, can maximize their warehouse space, and can easily support charitable outreach. The program also has built-in sustainability, as it repurposes all kinds of products that might otherwise end up in a landfill.

Quantitative Benefit