JUNK KING GOES FROM HEALTH CARE TO HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Organizational manager and radiation therapist puts his skills to work cleaning up Rockland and Westchester Counties

HUDSON VALLEY, N.Y.—When Jean Leon grew up in a Manhattan, New York he never dreamed that one day he’d be in the green junk removal and recycling business. His mother didn’t want anything to go to waste, so she was a bit of a “saver.” The more his mother saved, the less room the apartment had for young Jean and his four sisters. Sometimes his mother’s habits led to discussions about organization and cleaning. Maybe he should have thanked her for the inspiration.

Jean Leon has recently opened a Junk King franchise that covers Rockland and Westchester Counties. For a man with a degree in Organizational Management from Manhattan College, green junk removal and recycling makes sense. But Jean Leon also spent 13 years as a Radiation Therapist, treating cancer patients. While unable to make cancer magically disappear in a few minutes, the idea of making junk disappear quickly is appealing. He spent a whole year deciding what industry might fit his skills and interests. Junk, perhaps because of his childhood experiences at home, jumped to the top of the list.

Junk King prides itself on recycling or donating up to 60 percent of the materials it collects. They haul anything from appliances and construction waste to electronics and rubbish. The Hudson Valley franchise of Junk King gives residents of the community an opportunity to clean up homes and job sites without the worry of adding recyclables to the landfills. Only hazardous materials are prohibited for collection.

Jean Leon likes the environmentally green aspect of the Junk King franchise, as well as the notion that what gets donated will help the community. Helping the community is important to him. He’s been involved at New York Cares, an organization that provides tutoring to at-risk youth, and Manhattan’s Autism Speaks walks. Jean Leon hopes his Junk King franchise will grow through the years. Eventually he sees his company providing free services to those in need.

The parent company, founded in 2005, is based in San Carlos, California. Two childhood friends started the junk hauling service out of their garage. The company insists that each franchise be “dependable, affordable, and environmentally responsible.” Junk King is a fully bonded, licensed, and insured. They not only haul junk for individual homeowners, but for realtors, property managers, and large and small businesses.

From the one location in San Carlos, California, Junk King now boasts 38 franchises nationwide. Each individual franchise is “green.”

Junk King Hudson Valley is located at 56 Fairmont Avenue Haverstraw NY 10927. It is a family-run business. Jean Leon knows green and clean will appeal to the community at large.

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