Since she was a young girl, Danielle McCray knew she wanted to be a service-providing business owner. She had no clue exactly what type of service she would provide.
Now, at age 33, she is the owner of the Cleaning Bouquet, a cleaning company that she started two years ago to serve the Pee Dee area.
After serving eight years in the U.S. Navy as an intelligence specialist, McCray moved on to work in human services with the postal service.
"When I was at the postal service, I was sitting behind a cubicle all day," McCray said. "I knew that I didn't want to retire sitting behind that desk. Basically, I made a conscious decision to step out on faith."
McCray moved back to Florence, her hometown, from Greensboro, North Carolina.
"I moved back here because I knew I would have a little more support from my family," McCray said. "And I started the cleaning service, and it's been going really well."
If someone would have asked her five years ago about starting a cleaning business, McCray said she would have responded, "You are crazy. I'm not starting a cleaning company."
"But I'm glad I did, because I get to meet some really great people," McCray said.
The Cleaning Bouquet did not start out as such, however. Before there was The Cleaning Bouquet, there was ProAlliance Commercial Cleaning. McCray owned that company as well, and it focused primarily on office cleaning. Several of the ProAlliance clients wanted residential cleaning as well.
"I guess the stars were not aligned for me to do (commercial cleaning), so I switched it," she said, "and I'm glad I did."
What sets The Cleaning Bouquet apart from other cleaning companies in the Pee Dee is personalization.
"Even though I don't clean every day, they still look at it as Danielle's cleaning service instead of The Cleaning Bouquet," McCray said.
Something else that distinguishes The Cleaning Bouquet is its partnership with the Cleaning for a Reason Foundation.
Cleaning for a Reason is a nonprofit organization that partners with maid services across the United States and Canada to offer free professional house cleanings to help women undergoing treatment for cancer.
The foundation has been in existence since 2006 and has helped women with cancer receive more than $3.7 million worth of free house cleanings. Approximately 1,000 maid services partner with the foundation.
In South Carolina, 17 maid services partnering with Cleaning for a Reason. The Cleaning Bouquet is the only one in the Pee Dee area.
"I've partnered with Cleaning for a Reason since August of 2012," McCray said. "Last year we did about 13 or 14. This is probably a year where we didn't really have a lot of cleanings."
McCray said she believes the reason her company has not provided many free cleanings for women undergoing cancer treatment this year is because many people are not familiar with the organization.
"I know there are other women in this area who are receiving treatments and they need the service," McCray said. "I'm pretty sure if the word got out about the organization and what it does, the demand will be there for it."
Through Cleaning for a Reason, The Cleaning Bouquet offers four free cleanings to female cancer patients undergoing treatments.
"They can either do it biweekly and get two cleanings in one month, or they can get one cleaning a month. However they want to do it," McCray said. "If they or their families wanted to sign up for additional cleanings, they can do that as well, but it's only four free cleanings that we give."
Women can either call McCray directly or go to cleaningforareason.org to sign up for the free service. The foundation requests that patients provide them with a note from their physician confirming they are in treatment.
"Cleaning for a Reason then contacts me the same day and contacts the client," McCray said.
The type of free cleaning provided by The Cleaning Bouquet depends on the size and condition of the home.
"When we come in, the first time we try to do a really thorough cleaning," McCray said.
She said if it is a light day for the cleaning crew, they will clean the entire home.
"That's why we try to schedule those cleanings for lighter days, which are at the beginning of the week, to make sure that we can pay the house as much attention as it needs," McCray said. "Of course, we may not be able to get every room done, but we want to get their priority rooms cleaned."
Partnering with Cleaning for a Reason stemmed from a personal experience, McCray said. She has a family member who is a breast cancer survivor and had a chance to see what she went through daily.
"She was going through chemo treatment and not really having the energy to put into house cleaning," McCray said. "She barely had energy to feed herself. So I saw it as a great cause and a great way to give back."
McCray said she wants to provide the women undergoing cancer treatment in the Pee Dee area with a service that lets them heal and get better while The Cleaning Bouquet takes care of the house.
"But I'm glad I did, because I get to meet some really great people," McCray said.
The Cleaning Bouquet did not start out as such, however. Before there was The Cleaning Bouquet, there was ProAlliance Commercial Cleaning. McCray owned that company as well, and it focused primarily on office cleaning. Several of the ProAlliance clients wanted residential cleaning as well.
"I guess the stars were not aligned for me to do (commercial cleaning), so I switched it," she said, "and I'm glad I did."
What sets The Cleaning Bouquet apart from other cleaning companies in the Pee Dee is personalization.
"Even though I don't clean every day, they still look at it as Danielle's cleaning service instead of The Cleaning Bouquet," McCray said.
Something else that distinguishes The Cleaning Bouquet is its partnership with the Cleaning for a Reason Foundation.
Cleaning for a Reason is a nonprofit organization that partners with maid services across the United States and Canada to offer free professional house cleanings to help women undergoing treatment for cancer.
The foundation has been in existence since 2006 and has helped women with cancer receive more than $3.7 million worth of free house cleanings. Approximately 1,000 maid services partner with the foundation.
In South Carolina, 17 maid services partnering with Cleaning for a Reason. The Cleaning Bouquet is the only one in the Pee Dee area.
"I've partnered with Cleaning for a Reason since August of 2012," McCray said. "Last year we did about 13 or 14. This is probably a year where we didn't really have a lot of cleanings."
McCray said she believes the reason her company has not provided many free cleanings for women undergoing cancer treatment this year is because many people are not familiar with the organization.
"I know there are other women in this area who are receiving treatments and they need the service," McCray said. "I'm pretty sure if the word got out about the organization and what it does, the demand will be there for it."
Through Cleaning for a Reason, The Cleaning Bouquet offers four free cleanings to female cancer patients undergoing treatments.
"They can either do it biweekly and get two cleanings in one month, or they can get one cleaning a month. However they want to do it," McCray said. "If they or their families wanted to sign up for additional cleanings, they can do that as well, but it's only four free cleanings that we give."
Women can either call McCray directly or go to cleaningforareason.org to sign up for the free service. The foundation requests that patients provide them with a note from their physician confirming they are in treatment.
"Cleaning for a Reason then contacts me the same day and contacts the client," McCray said.
The type of free cleaning provided by The Cleaning Bouquet depends on the size and condition of the home.
"When we come in, the first time we try to do a really thorough cleaning," McCray said.
She said if it is a light day for the cleaning crew, they will clean the entire home.
"That's why we try to schedule those cleanings for lighter days, which are at the beginning of the week, to make sure that we can pay the house as much attention as it needs," McCray said. "Of course, we may not be able to get every room done, but we want to get their priority rooms cleaned."
Partnering with Cleaning for a Reason stemmed from a personal experience, McCray said. She has a family member who is a breast cancer survivor and had a chance to see what she went through daily.
"She was going through chemo treatment and not really having the energy to put into house cleaning," McCray said. "She barely had energy to feed herself. So I saw it as a great cause and a great way to give back."
McCray said she wants to provide the women undergoing cancer treatment in the Pee Dee area with a service that lets them heal and get better while The Cleaning Bouquet takes care of the house.
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