wenty years ago, a successful self-storage entrepreneur facing his own battle with cancer had a vision. What if the industry he helped build could become a powerful force in the fight against a disease that touches nearly every family?
That entrepreneur was Barry Hoeven, founder of Westport Properties and US Storage Centers. Diagnosed with kidney cancer, he understood firsthand the urgency of advancing research, developing better treatments, and giving patients more options. Hoeven also understood the power of business relationships and the remarkable generosity of the self-storage industry.
In 2007, Hoeven founded Kure It Cancer Research with a clear mission: Fund innovative research for underfunded cancers and help promising scientific ideas move forward.
What began as one man’s determination to make a difference has grown into a national cancer research funding organization supported by business leaders, storage operators, industry associations, and corporate partners.
As Kure It prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary in January 2027, we have an incredible story to share, and the self-storage industry helped write it.
Behind those numbers are researchers who could pursue ideas that might otherwise have sat on a shelf waiting for funding.
Kure It occupies a unique space in cancer research philanthropy. We focus on high-risk, high-reward projects, particularly early-stage research that has scientific promise but may not yet qualify for traditional government or institutional funding.
We call it seed funding.
Think about what it takes to launch a new business. Before there is a proven product, substantial investment, or measurable revenue, someone must believe in the idea and provide the resources to get started.
Cancer research works much the same way.
A scientist may have a compelling hypothesis, but without initial funding to gather evidence, test an approach, or demonstrate early results, that idea may never advance. Kure It helps bridge that critical gap.
Our goal is to move quickly, invest strategically, and give researchers the opportunity to generate the early evidence that will attract larger grants and additional investment.
It is a funding model that aligns remarkably well with the entrepreneurial mindset of the self-storage industry.
At City of Hope Orange County, Kure It committed $550,000 to research focused on improving early detection and screening for stomach and pancreatic cancers. These are diseases where earlier diagnosis can make an enormous difference, yet effective screening options remain limited.
Our national investments also include a $250,000 grant supporting Dr. Dizman’s research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, made in honor of NeSSA leader, Charlie Fritz, and a $200,000 grant supporting Dr. Eng’s work at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
Kure It has also invested $1 million in an endowed chair in genitourinary oncology at the University of California, Irvine, establishing a lasting commitment to research and scientific leadership.
Most recently, our 2026 fundraising efforts have highlighted pediatric leukemia research at City of Hope, including the work of Dr. Adam de Smith, whose research explores the earliest origins of childhood leukemia.
Each project is different, but they share a common need: resources to advance research that could ultimately lead to better prevention, earlier detection, and more effective treatments.
That vision helped inspire Round Up For Research, a program that allows participating storage customers to contribute through small, recurring donations.
Individually, these contributions may seem modest. Collectively, they have become extraordinary.
To date, Round Up For Research has raised $7 million for Kure It Cancer Research.
That is millions of dollars generated through everyday business operations, supported by facility managers, team members, storage customers, and companies that believe in making a difference.
US Storage Centers and Westport Properties have been instrumental in building this program and demonstrating what is possible when philanthropy becomes part of a company’s culture.
And the generosity extends well beyond one organization.
Partners like Charity Storage, Late 2 Lien, Storage Solution, Cubby, and Absolute Storage Management are among the companies helping expand Kure It’s reach. Industry associations, including the California Self Storage Association (CSSA), Northeast Self Storage Association (NESSA), Arizona Self-Storage Association (AZSA), and Tennessee Self Storage Association (TNSSA), have also helped strengthen relationships and introduce our mission to new audiences.
This is an industry built by entrepreneurs, innovators, and people who understand the value of relationships. Competitors come together, share ideas, support one another, and frequently rally around causes larger than their individual businesses.
Hoeven recognized that spirit nearly 20 years ago. Today, we continue to see it in action.
This year, we introduced “Building for the Future,” a strategic partnership initiative designed to expand Kure It’s funding capacity, strengthen relationships across industries, and build a larger, more sustainable network of supporters.
At the center of this campaign is our “Community Blueprint,” a visual representation of the businesses, foundations, research institutions, and community leaders helping shape the future of cancer research.
The concept is simple: Important things are built with vision, planning, resources, and people willing to invest in the outcome.
The Blueprint recognizes those partners while inviting others to take their place in what we are building together.
We know the impact that storage operators can make through Round Up For Research. Now imagine expanding participation among management companies, software and CRM providers, developers, construction companies, vendors, and industry associations.
And imagine pairing that growth with new corporate partnerships, family foundations, and philanthropic leaders from outside the storage industry.
This is not about replacing the partners who helped build Kure It. It is about honoring their commitment by inviting others to join them.
Today, Kure It directs approximately $1 million a year toward cancer research. As we look toward our next chapter, I keep coming back to one question: What if we could grow that to $3 million, or even $4 million?
That would mean more projects funded, more innovative ideas tested, and more scientists working on underfunded cancers getting the seed funding they need. It is an ambitious goal, but we are not starting from scratch. We have nearly 20 years of experience, a proven funding model, exceptional research partners, and an industry that has already shown it is willing to lead.
Nearly 20 years later, we have the answer: more than $11 million invested, 77 research projects, 142 scientific publications, and $6.8 million raised through Round Up For Research—one small donation at a time.
Hoeven was right about this industry.
To our longtime storage partners, we thank you. You built this.
To everyone else, consider this your invitation. Whether you operate one facility or hundreds, build them, finance them, or write the software that runs them, there is a place for you in what comes next.
Going from $1 million a year to $4 million will not happen by accident. It will happen because companies decide to be part of it.
Every breakthrough in cancer research starts as an idea someone was willing to fund. The next one could start with you.
Let’s build the next 20 years together.