Groove Auto’s Drive for Education program is in its 10th year. On Tuesday, the dealership group continued its tradition of donating car-sale proceeds to fund grants for schools. The funding this year went toward items such as scholarship programs, iPads, books, instruments, learning spaces and special needs programs.
The company’s September grant donation was for $74,500.
Athlete and television personality Colton Underwood was a special guest at this year’s event, and he announced Groove Auto’s partnership with Colton Underwood’s Legacy Foundation. The foundation supports people living with cystic fibrosis, providing resources for managing their treatment.
Groove Auto donated a vehicle toward the foundation’s upcoming raffle, with the raffle titled, “Win Colton’s Jeep.”
Drive for Education is a charitable program that employees of Groove Ford, Groove Subaru, Groove Mazda and Groove Toyota created to enrich the lives of children through education and foundational support. Funds from vehicle sales each year benefit local area schools that have applied to receive a Drive for Education grant. Groove Auto says the grants directly impact the students, school facilities and teachers.
At the same event, the dealership group also presented $18,500 to Folds of Honor, which provides scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen and disabled service members. Groove Auto raised the funds during its Memorial Day sales event. Groove Auto said the donation would “directly impact students right here in Colorado.”
Since the inception of the Barbecue for the Troops program in 2013, the area's new-car dealers with the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, or CATA, have raised nearly $900,000, with that money going toward support of USO of Illinois initiatives.
The program has initiated more than 600 fundraisers over the course of seven years, and with those funds, USO of Illinois has been able to support more than 326,000 service members and their families each year.
CATA — the Chicago-area’s new-car dealer association — and USO of Illinois recently hosted Barbecue for the Troops fundraisers for the seventh consecutive year. This summer, 115 local dealerships hosted the events, firing up their grills and leading patriotic ceremonies and classic car shows, as well as games for children along with music and barbecues.
At this summer’s event, CATA said the dealerships rallied their communities to bring in more than $146,500 for local military and their families.
CATA and USO of Illinois also ran a #BBQ4Troops social media contest. For that event, the groups accepted nominations of individuals worthy of winning the Ultimate Backyard Barbecue. Throughout July, wives and husbands nominated their partners who served overseas, parents nominated their active-duty military children, and others nominated friends and neighbors.
The groups chose Javier Castrellon, nominated by his wife, Maria. She wrote in her submission that her husband exemplifies what a soldier should be: “always dedicated to his work but never overshadowing the love he has for his family.”
She added that her husband Javier always supports and encourages his three children, even after long days at work. He spends time with them at events such as soccer tournaments and daddy-daughter dances.
Maria Castrellon also said of her husband, “For more than 20 years, he's lived this military life moving from one place to another without any regrets.”
This summer, the Castrellons’ Ultimate Backyard Barbecue event will include 50 family members and friends who will enjoy a visit by Chicago Blackhawks Ambassador Chris Chelios while feasting on barbecue fare from Real Urban Barbecue.
To celebrate this year’s program, CATA board members and the USO of Illinois presented their check for $146,500 at Clark After Dark last week. The USO’s annual summer street festival fundraiser, Clark After Dark, also known as “Summer’s Last Hoo-ah!” takes place in Chicago’s River North district.
“The money that's raised here, stays here,” CATA chairman Bill Haggerty said in a news release. “CATA dealerships are committed to giving back to their communities, and the USO Barbecue for the Troops initiative is one great example of dealers helping people in need — right in our own backyards.”
Next year’s USO Barbecue for the Troops fundraising events are set to take place at local new-car dealerships on July 18, 2020.
Sheehy Auto Stores leaders and employees were more busy than usual during a recent 56-day period from May to July. As part of its annual Sheehy 8000 Sales Race, the company raised $300,000 by selling 8,012 new and used vehicles to achieve its sales goal, and the American Heart Association was the beneficiary.
During that same period, the company held heart-healthy community events and other dealership employee activities, such as trivia games, CPR demonstrations, heart-healthy cooking and food demonstrations.
The $300,000 donation matched Sheehy’s donation from last year’s Sheehy 8000 Sales Race.
This year’s community-wide effort ran May 10 to July 5, again raising funds and increasing awareness for the association, which has a mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
But Sheehy has supported the American Heart Association in other ways, as well. The company sponsored and has been an active partner at the National Walking Day event for the past several years. The event, which takes place on the first Wednesday in April at Springfield Town Center, promotes walking and a heart-healthy lifestyle.
"We are grateful to our customers, partners, vendors and staff who rally behind our efforts in support of a great cause," Sheehy Auto Stores president Vince Sheehy said in a news release. “We are very proud to support the American Heart Association and all they do to educate our community and help prevent the risks of heart disease and stroke.”
American Heart Association senior development director JP Wiley appreciates that this marks the sixth year that the association has benefited from Sheehy 8000.
"We are so grateful for the commitment and generosity of the Sheehy team and customers in helping us be a relentless force for longer, healthier lives throughout the region,” Wiley said. “With $1.6 million donated to date, we are truly creating transformative change within our community because of Sheehy’s support.”
Dealer members of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association employ about 20,000 people throughout Chicagoland, CATA chairman Bill Haggerty said in a news release.
And those dealers have established deep roots within their communities, he said.
“So, when the opportunity for dealers to host BBQ for the Troops fundraisers was presented to us, the dealers seized the opportunity,” Haggerty said.
On July 13, dealers will seize that opportunity again. CATA and its dealer members, partnering with the USO of Illinois, will for the seventh consecutive year host Barbecue for the Troops grassroots community fundraising events throughout the area.
As of press time, 110 dealerships have pledged to support the cause. They will provide that support by offering events and activities such as patriotic ceremonies, classic car shows, live music, and games for children of all ages.
And barbecue, of course.
CATA dealers have raised more than $750,000 over the past six years — by hosting more than 500 fundraisers — to support USO of Illinois programs and services. The association said that with those funds, the USO of Illinois can support more than 326,000 service members and their families each year. The month of July is still young, but the CATA reports it has already received a $5,000 contribution from Ally Bank. Ally’s donation honored CATA dealer and Apple Chevrolet principal John Alfirevich, who is based in Tinley Park, for his honor of being named 2019 Time Dealer of the Year. Ally is a presenting sponsor of the award.
Those who can't visit a USO Barbecue for the Troops event on July 13 can still get involved via social media. The CATA and USO of Illinois are now accepting contest entries for the Ultimate Backyard Barbecue. The winner will receive a Real Urban Barbecue catered meal, with Chicago Blackhawks ambassador Chris Chelios making a guest appearance. Submit your nominations via the contest entry form or upload a photo and caption with #BBQ4Troops tagging @DriveChicago on Twitter or @Drive_Chicago on Instagram. The winner will be announced around Aug. 1.
The Drive Chicago site shows the full listing of CATA dealer USO Barbecue for the Troops fundraisers.
"The USO Barbecue for the Troops program has raised more than $750,000 to support local troops and their families,” said USO of Illinois president and chief executive officer Alison Ruble. “The support of service members’ hometown communities and local new-car dealerships has allowed the USO of Illinois to aid more than 326,000 service members and their families annually through hundreds of programs and services. Neighbors helping neighbors through initiatives like Barbecue for the Troops makes communities even stronger, and joining your local dealership for their BBQ in July is a great way to get involved. From the USO of Illinois and all those who serve our nation, we thank you for your generous support.”
“The USO Barbecue for the Troops initiative is one great example of the vital role that dealers play to help people in need, right in their backyard,” Haggerty said.
As the nation heads toward another Fourth of July celebration, Matt Buchanan wants the nation to remember the those who “served our country for the freedoms we all enjoy.”
“It is only through the efforts of such heroes that our nation has been able to survive and thrive for more than 240 years,” said Buchanan, who is managing partner of Sarasota Ford in Sarasota, Fla., in a news release. “We can’t thank our active duty military and [v]eterans enough.”
On Thursday, Sarasota Ford introduced an initiative to help members of the military and veterans, as well as other selfless local citizens such as teachers, police officers, firefighters and first responders.
The company’s “One Community One Team” initiative rewards those heroes with all-expense-paid experiences. Some examples of the One Community One Team’s work included honoring a World War II and Korean War Marine Corps veteran who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima, a Vietnam War veteran and Army Purple Heart recipient, and Gold Star parents whose son was killed in action in Afghanistan.
Sarasota Ford has long given back to the community. The dealership has sponsored more than 1,000 educational programs, community initiatives and development charities.
Those include the V Foundation for Cancer Research, Suncoast Charities for Children, Boys and Girls Club, American Cancer Society, Southeast Guide Dogs and Make a Wish Foundation. The company has also sponsored various elementary, middle school and high school academic and athletic programs.
Now, its Community One initiative will continue Sarasota Ford’s tradition of giving back, as well as the service of Community One. The Community One organization treated the heroes mentioned earlier to an all-expenses-paid, first-class private plane ride to Washington, D.C., where the veterans visited monuments created in their honor. The Gold Star Parents were able to visit their son’s final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery.
CarMax believes proactively approaching a disaster plan — before the disaster strikes and on a long-term basis — is important. With that in mind, the company on Wednesday announced it has donated $50,000 to product philanthropy and purposeful giving organization Good360 to support disaster recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, Larry H. Miller Dealerships announced on Thursday that its employees — along with 85 vendors and business partners — raised $450,000 at this year’s Larry H. Miller Dealerships Golf Classic. The company said that donation was a record amount.
Those are two of the latest charitable efforts from the auto industry, and Good360 chief executive officer Howard Sherman described CarMax as “a socially responsible corporate partner who collaborates with us every day to tackle (the) key challenges in disaster giving.”
“Our partnership with CarMax and their long-term approach to disaster recovery allows Good360 to maximize our impact in these devastated areas for as long as we’re needed, ensuring that the right goods get to the right people at the right time during all phases of a disaster,” Sherman said in a news release.
Good360 said CarMax’s donation will be meaningful for regions recovering from a disaster. Because Good360 for every dollar received can distribute a minimum of $10 in needed goods, a $50,000 grant will help bring at least $500,000 in goods to communities seeing an impact from a disaster. Also, because the CarMax Foundation will provide a two-to-one match of associates’ donations to Good360, that effectively doubles every donated dollar’s impact, Good360 said.
Also, Good360 in 2018 co-founded the Resilient Response initiative, which encourages companies to perform the best disaster-giving practices in addressing key issues and helping to build stronger communities so they can be better prepared to survive future disasters.
With preparation and planning, early response, and long-term rebuilding of strong communities, Good360 says it embraces “a holistic view of disaster recovery.” Working with local nonprofits and recovery agencies to determine disaster survivors’ exact needs, the organization says it works with its corporate partner network to acquire goods that it says are critically needed.
The organization says up to 60 percent of unsolicited goods donated during disasters historically go to waste or end up in landfills. Good360 also says long-term recovery often suffers because 70 percent of all giving happens only within the first two months after a disaster strikes.
CarMax director of community relations Leslie Parpart said CarMax puts people first by “helping our communities thrive and our associates share our passion for giving back.”
“We think it’s critical that, during a disaster, communities receive exactly what they need. We are proud to partner with Good360 to mobilize those resources,” Parpart said.
Larry H. Miller Dealerships shares that passion for giving, noting that during dinner after the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Golf Classic, the group of its employees, vendors and business partners presented a $450,000 check to the charitable arm of Larry H. Dealerships, Larry H. Miller Charities.
Jay Francis, executive vice president, corporate affairs & Miller Family Philanthropy said the funds raised at the 2019 Golf Classic will be distributed to charities in the seven states where Larry H. Miller Dealerships does business and will emphasize health and education while focusing on programs that serve women and children.
“These funds alone will help more than 60 nonprofit organizations, and when you add in employee and business contributions, we will contribute to nearly 100 charitable groups,” Francis said.
More than $1.9 million has been raised for Larry H. Miller Charities since the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Golf Classic started in 2012. Larry H. Miller Charities then distributes the donations to qualified nonprofit organizations in communities the following states where the dealership group has locations: Utah, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico and Washington. In large part, funding for Larry H. Miller Charities is generated through Larry H. Miller companies and employee contributions.
Sheehy Auto Stores is planning its 22nd annual Sheehy 8000 Sales Event, a community-wide program to sell 8,000 vehicles (through July 5) while raising awareness and funds for the American Heart Association. But the company’s support of the association extends beyond the Sheehy 8000.
For the past several years, the company has sponsored and been an active partner at the National Walking Day event in April, which promotes walking and a heart-healthy lifestyle.
But for Sheehy 8000, each of the Sheehy dealerships throughout Washington, D.C., Richmond, Va., and Baltimore will lead initiatives such as healthy cooking demonstrations, blood pressure screenings, fitness demonstrations and CPR training for employees and the community.
Last year’s Sheehy 8000 campaign raised $300,000 for the American Heart Association, which has a mission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Throughout Sheehy’s 50-year history, the company has raised more than $40 million for community and non-profit organizations. And it takes that National Walking Day event seriously. Each of Sheehy’s dealerships hold their own employee step challenges. This year, Sheehy Auto Stores collectively totaled 656,006 steps in 12 hours as part of the company's corporate challenge.
But American Heart Association senior development director JP Wiley said in a news release that the association is especially appreciative of the Sheehy 8000 campaign, noting that this is the sixth year the association is a beneficiary of that program.
"We are so grateful for the commitment and generosity of the Sheehy team and customers in helping us be a relentless force for longer, healthier lives throughout the region,” Wiley said. “With $1.3 million donated to date, we are truly creating transformative change within our community because of Sheehy’s support.”
Sheehy Auto Stores president Vince Sheehy said his company was planning its “most successful Sheehy 8000 yet.”
“We are proud to support this great cause by actively raising funds and overall awareness, which can help save lives,” he said.
As a military veteran, CarMax Foundation president Matt Aman is well aware of the stress military families face. He also knows how important play is to children of military members.
“When you are deployed and away from your family, knowing that they are happy, healthy and supported in the community allows you to focus on the mission,” Aman said in a news release.
The CarMax Foundation has provided most of the funding for playgrounds and creative play sets through its national partnership with KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization that provides safe places to play for children, especially those living in poverty.
For one of the partners’ latest projects, The CarMax Foundation and KaBOOM! are providing six life-size creative play sets to community organizations that serve military families. The partners will provide the play sets during the “Week of Play,” which began Monday and runs through Friday.
As part of the program during the “Week of Play,” the partners will host six community events across the country to make play more accessible to children of veterans and active duty service members. On April 3, the CarMax Foundation and KaBOOM! started this month’s activities by working with the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation to build a new community playground at Kennedy Park. The park is located in an area with a large military family population.
For that project, The CarMax Foundation, KaBOOM!, and the City of San Antonio gathered hundreds of volunteers to build a new playground in just six hours. Earlier, at a local event at Winston Elementary School, local children provided drawings of their dream playgrounds, and the new playground was designed based on those drawings. Many families in the community say their experience moving to San Antonio has been positive, but they would still like more community support to make the transition easier on their children.
When a parent deploys or returns home from military service, or when the parent moves locations frequently, that can cause a great deal of emotional impact for children, according to KaBOOM! The organization quotes the Blue Star Families’ annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey in stating that the impacts of deployment on children remains a top issue for service members and military spouses.
“When kids face uncertainty or stress, play creates a safe buffer against the change or adversity around them,” KaBOOM! said.
The organization said 96 percent of military family respondents feel that “working with neighbors to improve communities is important.” However, about 48 percent of military families responding to the survey feel as if they don't belong in their local civilian community, and 43 percent feel they don’t belong in their military community.
During the “Week of Play,” the six grants for creative play sets — Imagination Playground and Rigamajig — will be provided to the following child-serving non-profits that span across the country:
— Belleaire Elementary School in Bellevue, Neb.
— Bridge Creek Elementary School in Elgin, S.C.
— Child Crisis Center of El Paso
— Kids Rank in Highland Park, Ill.
— New Hanover Township School in Wrightstown, N.J.
—Tinker Elementary School in Oklahoma City
Each grantee is holding community events to celebrate the receipt of the play sets. Imagination Playground helps children build and rebuild play spaces using blue foam blocks. Rigamajig features wooden planks, wheels, pulleys, nuts, bolts and rope for children to play “while learning 21st-century skills.”
“The Foundation and KaBOOM! are committed to providing experiences in individual and group collaboration so military kids grow up able to connect, collaborate, problem solve and think creatively through active play opportunities that will prepare them for tomorrow,” KaBOOM! said.
"CarMax associates are deeply committed to supporting military communities and we’re proud to partner with KaBOOM! to make playspaces more accessible to children of military families across the country," said Aman of the CarMax Foundation.
