We are extremely excited to announce that Kure It crossed the $3 million fundraising milestone this fall! Founded in 2010 by US Storage Centers chairman Barry Hoeven, Kure It raises money for underfunded cancer research and provides grants to leading medical institutions across the country. “Many researchers lack the funds to carry out their projects to the end and it is not uncommon for researchers to spend more time raising funds than working in the laboratory,” said Kure It founder, Barry Hoeven. “We established Kure It to fill the gap and place cancer research dollars directly into the hands of the investigators.” US Storage Centers’ self-storage facilities actively participate in Kure It programs that generate donations from customers. The donation that pushed Kure It past the $3 million mark came from the generous support of Commonwealth Partners sponsorship of Rivals United for a Kure, an annual campaign held by Kure It each November. The campaign unites the USC and UCLA communities in raising money for research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer center. “The rivalry of UCLA and USC provides energy and fun to our customers, so to be able to harness the spirit of the iconic crosstown rivalry for a life-saving cause that benefits the community we live and work in was a perfect match,” said Brett Munger, President of Commonwealth Partners. “We see the impact of cancer on a personal level time and time again, so to align our company with Rivals United, give back to our community in such a significant way, and unite our co-workers, friends and families together in the rivalry’s Fight for a Kure - it’s inspiring. And it’s fun!” Hoeven was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 1998 while on a family vacation. It was soon after this that he recognized the lack of funding available to research several types of cancer, including kidney cancer. Embracing the entrepreneurial spirit that let him to establish US Storage Centers as one of the largest companies in the storage business, Hoeven and his family formed Kure It as an independent non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Through creatively inspired initiatives, significant financial contributions have been generated by the self-storage industry. Regional self-storage association supported fundraising events, operator giving programs, and customer giving incentives have all played a substantial roll in generating donations for Kure It. “Raising money for innovative cancer research is a big part of who we are,” said Jason Lopez, VP of Marketing for US Storage Centers. “Our customers, our team, and many people in the self-storage industry have rallied behind this cause, it’s amazing to see how much has been accomplished in a relatively short period of time.” Kure It will also grant $250,000 for research in immunotherapy in Kidney Cancer in the spring of 2015. An international request for proposals has been launched through the American Association of Cancer Researchers (AACR). The 2015 Barb Kaprielian Rivals United for a Kure Grant will be awarded as a team science grant, for a projected total of $500,000 in April 2015.
