Debbie Sardone, a Flower Mound resident who has owned a housecleaning service for 29 years, is the perfect example of a small company doing very big things.
The month of October is known to many as Pinktober in recognition of national breast cancer awareness month, but Sardone is aware of cancer every month as she has found a way to help over 4,000 women with that diagnosis get their homes cleaned absolutely free.
Pinktober holds special significance for her this year as Sardone says sometime during the month, the scales will tip to a total of one million donated dollars in free cleanings.
Sardone, owner of Buckets & Bows Maid Service in Lewisville, started helping local women with cancer over 15 years ago, and she ended up taking her efforts nationwide when Cleaning For A Reason became a national non-profit a little less than five years ago. Now, instead of only helping women in southern Denton County who are going through cancer treatment, her organization helps women in all 50 states and four provinces in Canada as Sardone has recruited housecleaning firms who, like her, are willing to give their services away for free.
“It was a perfect fit for us to help women with cancer who can’t afford the service,” said Sardone. “We help women every day.” The small business owner said she has helped her own cancer stricken employees and customers with free cleanings.
Sardone knows first hand the devastation of cancer. Her father lost his battle with cancer; her mother is a survivor of ovarian cancer. As a business owner, she knew she could provide this practical help beyond Lewisville and Flower Mound, beyond Texas, and further. She quickly learned the job was much bigger than just Buckets & Bows Maid Service. “There are over 20 million women in this country with cancer,” she said. “There is no way we will ever meet that demand, but we can help some, and that’s who we focus on.”
Not one to give up, Sardone began to recruit maid services across the United States that were willing to commit to doing two free cleanings a month for a woman with cancer. Now, each cancer patient accepted into the Cleaning For A Reason program gets four free cleanings during the time they are going through treatment.
Sardone is very involved in the local community and said she believes responsible businesses look for ways to reach out to those around them. “I am committed to being a leader in my industry by doing my part and engaging others,” she said. This is one reason she says it’s so gratifying to see Buckets & Bows Maid Service do what they do best, cleaning homes, and making life easier for those who need the help.
To mark the one million dollars in free cleanings milestone as well as the fact that October is a special month for cancer awareness, Buckets & Bows Maid Service is hosting a “Gift To Give” drawing for $500 in free housecleaning. The winner will receive $250 in Maid Service Gift Cards for themselves, and $250 in Pink Maid Service Gift Cards to give to a women with cancer. There is no purchase necessary, just register for this drawing at www.bucketsandbows.com/pinkgift.
For more information or to apply for the service, visit bucketsandbows.com/cancer. You can also call 972-219-0400 to find out more about Buckets and Bows Maid Service.