In renewing a pledge that includes $150,000 in scholarship funding for the Fueling Careers Scholarship Program in support of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers, CDK Global says it and NAMAD are helping to develop minority talent for the next generation.
CDK Global, a retail automotive technology company, renewed the three-year pledge toward the scholarship program, which supports ethnic minority high school students of dealership employees who need financial support in pursuing a college education.
Funded by CDK, the Fueling Careers Scholarship Program will award up to five $10,000 scholarships per year to high school seniors entering an accredited college or university. NAMAD members will be able to select dealership employees to participate in the program.
College-bound students working toward their passion and building skillsets that will positively impact the automotive industry and their communities in the coming years are the future of the automotive industry, said CDK Global vice president, customer success Michael Seeman.
“Through this program, we continue to invest in tomorrow’s minority leaders by providing an avenue for these students to receive needed funding toward their education,” Seeman said in a news release.
“Education is a vital part of what every community needs to thrive, and the Fueling Careers Scholarship Program can offer students the support they need to further their education,” said NAMAD president Damon Lester.
Lester continued, “NAMAD and CDK Global have a shared commitment to developing the potential of the young minds who can pave the way for the future generations of leaders across our minority dealers.”
The fourth annual Fueling Careers Scholarship Program is now accepting applications.
International Scholarship and Tuition Services Inc. will manage the scholarship application and award process. The program will select award recipients based on academic merit and financial need. Dealership managers with high school students must complete an online application and satisfy all eligibility requirements.
Applications and program information can be found at https://aim.applyists.net/CDK. Applications will be accepted through July 1.
Scholarship winners will be honored during this year’s 40th annual NAMAD conference. Recipients will receive their awards in July.
Marc Cannon says AutoNation is grateful to NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers Alexander Rossi, Jack Harvey, and Ryan Hunter-Reay, along with their teams.
“They may be fierce competitors on track, but they’re on the same team when it comes to helping drive out cancer,” said Cannon, who is AutoNation executive vice president and chief marketing officer, in a news release.
On Tuesday, AutoNation said Rossi, Harvey, and Hunter-Reay will each dedicate the AutoNation INDYCAR Challenge, at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas to AutoNation employees who are cancer survivors or fighters.
Those three AutoNation-sponsored drivers have shown a commitment to the company’s DRV PNK campaign. That program raises funds and awareness for cancer-related causes.
Through DRV PNK, AutoNation has raised and donated more than $22 million to fund cancer research, treatment and awareness.
AutoNation also offers a company-paid cancer insurance plan to all its associates and their eligible dependents on their first day of employment.
This issue is personal for Hunter-Reay, a 2014 Indy 500 winner whose mother Lydia, died of cancer. He said he is “inspired every day to help make a difference in the fight.”
“Sadly, we’ve all been touched by cancer,” Hunter-Reay said.
Rossi is a 2016 Indy 500 champion who said he was honored to support DRV PNK and drive to help people fighting the disease.
“This is my first season partnering with AutoNation, and I’m proud to help raise awareness and funds for the cause,” Rossi said.
INDYCAR driver Harvey added, “If I can brighten the day of someone battling cancer, then I'm all in.”
Harvey has dedicated his first race of the season, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, to longtime AutoNation associate, Harriet Levin, who is battling stage-four metastatic breast cancer.
“DRV PNK 4 Harriet will be proudly emblazoned on my helmet,” Harvey said.
He continued, “I know she'll be watching the race and cheering me on, but really it’s me who will be cheering for her.”
Jim Appleton of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers is proud of the generosity of New Jersey’s 510 neighborhood new car dealerships, which he said contribute nearly $16 million each year to hundreds of organizations.
“Our members’ ongoing relationship with The Valerie Fund is a testament to the incredible work the Fund does to support thousands of children and their families in New Jersey,” Appleton said in a news release.
On Monday, the coalition said that New Jersey Dealerships continue to unite in support of the Valerie Fund, which supports children with cancer and blood disorders.
The coalition first launched a fundraising initiative in 2014, and it went on to become an ongoing partnership that has raised more than $2 million for The Valerie Fund and hundreds of children.
More on the Valerie Fund, which was founded more than 40 years ago in memory of Valerie Goldstein: It provides individualized care to children with cancer and blood disorders at medical centers close to home. The organization does that because it believes healing of the children is most effective when they are treated emotionally, socially and developmentally, as well as medically.
New Jersey’s new car and truck dealerships, according to the coalition, have long served as “generous champions of philanthropy.” They have supported charitable causes from local sports teams and national organizations.
More than 200 dealerships throughout New Jersey have embraced the Valerie Fund campaign over the past five years. Salespeople have shown enthusiasm for The Valerie Fund when speaking with customers, and those customers became aware of the dealerships’ donations after test drives and vehicle purchases.
Some manufacturers matched those contributions.
“I am so proud of the auto dealers of New Jersey for coming together across all brands to support the more than 6,000 children and families who benefit from the treatment and support provided by The Valerie Fund each year,” said Judy Schumacher, president of Schumacher Chevrolet Group in New Jersey, in a news release.
Vince Sheehy says giving back to the community has always been an “integral cornerstone” of his company, Sheehy Auto Stores.
Sheehy is president of the company, which on Thursday announced donations of $135,000 among 22 charities throughout the communities they serve in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland; and Richmond, Va.
The donations are part of Sheehy’s Annual Giving Program. Through the program, each dealership partners with local non-profit organizations.
Sheehy Auto Stores, which says it is the 32nd largest dealer group in the country, is a family-owned business that serves customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic. The business started as one Ford store in 1966 in Marlow Heights, Md.
"Our dealerships and teams do much throughout the year in donating time and money for a variety of charities,” Sheehy said in a news release.
He continued, “As a company, we are pleased to continue our annual end of the year giving campaign that supports several community causes.”
Through the program, the following Washington, D.C.-area charities received donations, including:
— Unity Life Changing Solutions ($5,000)
— Manna Food Center ($8,000)
— Good Shepherd Catholic Church ($5,000)
— Fauquier F.I.S.H. ($7,000)
— The. St. Lucy Project/Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington ($10,000)
— The Lamb Center ($2,500)
— Smashing Walnuts Foundation ($5,000)
— Mobile Hope Association ($5,000)
— Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services ($9,000)
— Ecumenical Community Helping Others ($5,000)
— Ron Rosner Family YMCA ($10,000)
The following non-profit organizations in Baltimore received donations:
— Arundel House of Hope ($5,000)
— Chesapeake Gateway Chamber of Commerce ($1,000)
— Mosaic Community Services ($4,000)
— Center For Children ($5,000)
— Naval Academy Athletic Association ($15,000)
— Bowen Foundation for Autism ($5,000)
In Hagerstown, Maryland:
— CASA ($2,000)
In the Richmond, Va market:
— Mercy Mall of Virginia ($19,000)
— ACES ($2,500)
— Circles Ashland ($2,500)
— Patrick Henry YMCA ($2,500)
CarNow senior vice president of product and business development Aaron Baldwin believes that Northwood University is “best in class in producing talented automotive leaders.” Northwood University specializes in managerial and entrepreneurial education.
“We are confident that our future talent will come from schools like Northwood,” Baldwin said in a news release.
Many students attend Northwood University because of scholarships from its private donors. CarNow, which offers tailored digital retailing products for dealers, is providing one of those private donor scholarships. CarNow says its live products engage car shoppers, which it says keeps leads live on a dealer’s website.
Northwood says donors such as CarNow make a difference in students’ lives every day. Northwood University recently hosted the 26th anniversary of the Private Donor Scholarship luncheon.
At that event, students met their benefactors and personally thanked them for their donations toward their educational futures. Students networked, connected, and built professional relationships with their donors, which Northwood said gives them a path to reach out to the current job market.
Will Govan received the CarNow scholarship.
“We congratulate Will Govan on his efforts, poise and professionalism in earning the CarNow Innovative Retail Scholarship,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin added, “We hope our commitment will make a difference in his pursuit of lifelong learning.”
Northwood University notes that students who do not have to worry about paying for college can place more focus on their academics and increase their extracurricular involvement. With on-campus activities, students gain practical, experiential learning toward their degree, Northwood added. Students also gain opportunities to network with fellow students, professors and alumni.
“These scholarships confirm students’ belief that they are on the right career path at the right institution,” Northwood University stated.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is a non-profit pediatric clinical care provider that manages more than 1 million patient visits each year.
During those visits, the family support team at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta “helps kids feel like kids” by providing children with pediatric cancer services such as music therapy, visits from hospital facility dogs and one-on-one sessions with on-site schoolteachers and chaplains.
The Jim Ellis Automotive Group recognizes the importance of the service, noting that the service is helpful for pediatric cancer patients who often spend long stretches of time in the hospital for treatment. The auto group has launched its annual holiday giving campaign supporting the fight against pediatric cancer at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Through Jan. 2, all 18 Jim Ellis family-owned and operated dealerships will donate a portion of every sale of all new or pre-owned vehicles to the Children’s family support team.
“We know that pediatric patients need all the care in the world so this holiday season, we want to ensure more joyous memories for those who need it most,” Jim Ellis Automotive Group vice president Stacey Ellis said in a news release.
“Together, we can help give kids the gift of growing up,” Ellis said.
The automotive group says that through its program, Jim Ellis Automotive Group, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and purchasers of a new vehicle at one of Jim Ellis’ dealerships can further support the family support team’s mission.
Larry H. Miller Toyota Boulder will collect unwrapped toys through Dec. 10 to support the Boulder County Share-A-Gift program. Low-income parents living in the Boulder County School District will be invited to the “Toy Shop” for gifts, and children will be able to select from gifts such as arts and crafts, books and stocking stuffers.
That activity is part of Larry H. Miller Dealerships’ “5 Weeks of Giving” holiday campaign. Larry H. Miller Dealerships employees from Boulder to Colorado Springs will participate in activities to help Coloradans.
Those activities include presenting more than $75,000 in donations to charities, volunteering at food banks and conducting collection drives to help families.
Other activities include helping the Denver Santa Claus Shop. Larry H. Miller Dealerships in the Denver metro area will provide toy donations toward the nonprofit’s mission to give “a toy to every girl and boy,” who might not otherwise have a toy to open at Christmas. The organization sets up a temporary toy shop for four days in December for qualified families to shop. Larry H. Miller Dealerships in the Denver Metro area will collect toys at their nine locations.
The Food Bank of the Rockies (Denver) is another program that helps bring food directly to communities where food assistance is needed. Larry H. Miller Nissan Arapahoe employees will assemble holiday snack sacks filled with treats for more than 100 households and will distribute at a mobile pantry.
Another program is Kids Crossing (Colorado Springs), a nonprofit child placement agency that provides foster care and group facility care. Larry H. Miller Liberty Toyota will display a tree filled with ornaments, and customers and employees will be able to select an ornament and purchase the requested items for a foster child.
Larry H. Miller Charities awards all of the financial donations. That nonprofit organization functions as the charitable arm of Larry H. Miller Dealerships.
Assistance from the foundation goes toward organizations that serve women and children, with an emphasis in the areas of health and education. Funding comes primarily from employee contributions.
“Every year, our employees and customers look forward to making the holidays a little brighter for those in need,” Larry H. Miller Dealerships senior vice president of operations Ray Reilly said in a news release.
Reilly continued, “Larry H. Miller Dealerships invests in the communities we serve and takes great pride in supporting the many nonprofits that do critical work to help our most vulnerable. We are proud of the impact the '5 Weeks of Giving' has made over the last four years, as we know the holidays are a special time to bring joy to the lives of children and families.”
Veteran paratrooper and Army Sgt. First Class Centra “Ce-Ce” Mazyck’s military career took a turn for the worst when she became paralyzed from the waist down after a crash landing during a parachute jump.
Doctors told her she would never walk again, but Mazyck was determined and can now walk with the help of forearm crutches. She has also become a Paralympics athlete and college graduate.
On Friday, TrueCar and AutoNation awarded a retrofitted vehicle to Mazyck. The companies presented the vehicle at an event at the AutoNation Chevrolet Pembroke Pines dealership in Pembroke Pines, Fla.
It is the third year and fourth vehicle donation through DrivenToDrive, which is a program between partners TrueCar, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and AutoNation.
The companies and DAV created the program for injured veterans like Mazyck, helping those with military service-connected disabilities get back behind the wheel and regain their freedom.
Mazyck said her experience has shown her that “the ability to get from point A to point B is instrumental to achieving one’s goals.”
“Whether it’s taking my first steps after being told I’d never walk again after my injury, competing on the U.S. Paralympic team, or even dropping my son off at school, mobility and freedom go hand in hand,” Mazyck said in a news release.
She added, “I’m grateful to have been able to serve my country, and am honored by this gift and recognition through the DrivenToDrive program.”
Mazyck plans to use her new retrofitted vehicle to further her passion for adaptive sports such as basketball. The new vehicle will help her transport her sports wheelchair without relying on others for help.
“Veterans like Ce-Ce are exactly the reason we started the DrivenToDrive program at TrueCar,” said TrueCar interim chief executive officer and president Mike Darrow.
Darrow continued, “Her story is one of triumph over adversity, of appreciation of freedom, and of dedicated service to something bigger than oneself. We are humbled by the opportunity to help men and women like Ce-Ce who have lost the privilege and independence that driving affords in the service of our country, and are grateful to partner with AutoNation and DAV to amplify the impact of DrivenToDrive.”
“AutoNation is honored to partner with TrueCar and DrivenToDrive in recognizing U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Centra ‘Ce-Ce’ Mazyck for her service and presenting her with a brand-new vehicle,” said AutoNation executive vice president and chief marketing officer Marc Cannon.
Cannon added, “We are thankful for all the men and women who have served our country and are proud to support these heroes through our involvement with DrivenToDrive.”
“DAV is dedicated to ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them,” said DAV national adjutant and chief executive officer Marc Burgess.
Burgess continued, “We’re proud to once again partner with TrueCar on the DrivenToDrive program, which helps give back the freedom and privilege of driving to deserving veterans.”
Mazyck, Darrow, Cannon and DAV National 1st jr. vice commander Andy Marshall were scheduled to attend the vehicle giveaway event.
On Saturday at AutoNation Tempe in Arizona, guests learned about AutoNation's commitment to defeat cancer.
Waymo self-driving vehicles were available for rides, and during the AutoNation customer appreciation event, residents and children who are current or former cancer patients at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and their families were among the first to ride in Waymo's fully self-driving vehicles.
And at the event as part of its DRV PNK Initiative, AutoNation presented a $10,000 check to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
For every Waymo rider who has participated in the early rider program that tests early features, AutoNation is contributing $10.
“We are excited to celebrate our partnership with Waymo, in addition to donating $10,000 to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital,” AutoNation chief executive officer and president Cheryl Miller said in a news release.
Miller said that through its DRV PNK Initiative, AutoNation has raised more than $20 million to fund cancer-related charities.
In another example of its commitment of charitable resources toward cancer research, early detection and prevention, AutoNation’s 26,000 associates on Oct. 15 commemorated Breast Cancer Awareness Month by participating in the company’s “DRV PNK Across America Day.”
At that event, associates from coast to coast in all 18 markets assembled and delivered gift bags. Those gift bags contained items designed to bring comfort to children and adults undergoing cancer treatment.
The Saturday event also included food trucks and DRV PNK giveaways. Attendees saw an AutoGear vehicle display and received a discounted Precision Care powered by Clorox Total 360 treatment.
The Flamboyan Foundation believes all children deserve the opportunity to live a fulfilling life. The foundation works to ensure every U.S. and Puerto Rico child has an opportunity for a strong education.
Volkswagen of America says it believes in the importance of education, and it supports causes like the Flamboyan Foundation.
That support continued on Friday, as the company donated $10,000 to the Flamboyan Foundation, supporting literacy education for kindergarten through third-grade students in Puerto Rico.
A joint effort of Volkswagen’s Southeast Region and local Volkswagen dealers, the donation will provide 22 classroom libraries between two Puerto Rico schools.
Volkswagen’s two Puerto Rico dealerships — Flagship VW in Bayamón and Volkswagen Kennedy in San Juan — donated half of the funding to benefit schools in their areas. Fifteen of the libraries will be located at Juan Morell Campos in Bayamón and seven will be set up at Pedro Carlos Timothee in San Juan.
The Flamboyan Foundation invited teachers from each of the schools to attend a workshop and receive their books, and this weekend, a dedication ceremony for the teachers will take place at Santurce, San Juan.
After the dedication ceremony, Volkswagen will distribute bookshelves to both schools so the teachers can build their libraries.
“At Flamboyan, we work tirelessly to assure that all children can read at grade level by third grade,” said Carlos Rodríguez Silvestre, executive director of Flamboyan Foundation in Puerto Rico.
Silvestre continued, “Having high-quality books in the classrooms is key to achieving this goal. We are very pleased about this contribution from Volkswagen, as this effort will provide 400 K-3 students with classroom libraries and 22 participating teachers with more of the tools that they need to promote a love of reading with their students.”
Volkswagen of America said the donation was made in addition to its $1 million donation to DonorsChoose.org.
