Guardian Protection Services (ranked No. 5 on the 2018 SDM 100) marked its 11th year of participation in a Pittsburgh-area community event by donating a monitored smart security system to a family in need. The donation was in conjunction with the 2018 Cranberry CUP (Community Uniting People), an organization founded in 2000 that helps families in need, primarily in areas around the northern suburb of Pittsburgh, Cranberry Township, Pa.

Guardian helps to underwrite the annual CUP kickoff and provides a take-home gift for each of the 300 or so attendees. It’s part of a larger initiative called “Guardian Cares” that lets Guardian contribute various forms of support to the communities it serves.  

The Cranberry CUP 2018 Inspirational Family, the Duran family, was the recipient of the monitored smart security system. Andrew and Samantha Duran are the parents of six-month old Maddox or “SuperMad” who was born with the severest form of spina bifida. They also have two daughters, Paisley, five years and Juliette, two years. The family has faced significant physical, emotional and financial challenges in caring for their son.

The Guardian smart home security system included the installation of an interactive security system plus surveillance cameras, video doorbell camera, smart thermostat, locks and lighting modules that can be accessed and controlled from anywhere with a smartphone.

Guardian also donated 24-hour monitoring from its U.L.-certified, Five Diamond monitoring centers, so that the Durans can count on first responders such as police, fire and EMS being notified in the event of an emergency. The Durans have endured many surgeries, complications and emergency trips to the hospital related to Maddox’s spina bifida.

“With the chaos of leaving the house, it’s amazing that I can just press a button on my cell phone and know that the security system is on and the whole house is safe,” said Samantha Duran. “Just recently I was upstairs tending to Maddox and someone rang our doorbell. My husband could see who it was even though he was at work. He actually talked to the person. The Guardian system is like having help even when I’m alone with the children.”

“We’re proud to be a part of the community and contribute in any way we can,” said Kevin Bish, vice president of marketing for Guardian. “When we heard of the Duran family’s situation, we thought it made a lot of sense to heighten our effort and help them out with smart security and home automation – it’s the perfect product to help make their home just a little bit safer and easier.”

Robin Shaffer, vice president of the Cranberry CUP commented, “Without companies like Guardian we could not raise the money that we do for families in need in the Seneca Valley school district. Their involvement is essential, given that we are totally non-profit.”