ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The U-Haul Companies of  Orlando, North Orlando and Gainesville are offering 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box pod moving and self-storage to central Florida residents affected by the recent severe storms and tornadoes that swept across the state.    

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With the U-Box pod you can conveniently pick up our custom-designed trailer and take your U-Box pod with you. We can also store the U-Box pod in our secure warehouse or even pick up and deliver it to a location of your choice. 

In addition to the 30-days-free self-storage assistance being offered, people who need boxes can take advantage of the U-Haul Take a Box, Leave a Box Program. The program enables customers to return their reusable boxes and allows others to take them as needed – FREE. U-Haul encourages anyone who has any type of reusable box to drop it off at the nearest U-Haul location and allow another family to reuse the box, free of charge, instead of throwing the reusable box into the recycling bin. U-Haul also has propane available and urges customers to stop in to ensure that their propane tanks are topped off, since propane is a good thing to have on hand when these storms come through.

Families needing more information about the 30-days-free self-storage assistance program should contact one the following U-Haul regional offices.

U-Haul Company of Orlando
(407) 240-9975

U-Haul Company of North Orlando
(407) 578-1255

U-Haul Company of Gainesville
(352) 377-6133

"These tornadoes and severe storms that swept across central Florida last night caused extreme damage throughout many of our communities," stated Mario Martinez, U-Haul area district vice president. "I hope this effort will help provide assistance to families that need support. We will do our best to help our friends and neighbors in this time of need."

About U-Haul
U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.

Contact:
Joanne Fried
Ashleigh Wagner
U-Haul Public Relations
(602) 263-6194
publicrelations@uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul