FREDERICK, Md. -

DAA Northwest Auto Auction made a long-term commitment four years ago to Sunset Elementary students and staff, “adopting” the school that is located just two miles from its site. More than 200 auction employees volunteer to participate in a payroll deduction plan, providing healthy weekend snacks to students through the “Bite2Go” program. The program includes a company match for all contributions.

Because of DAA Northwest’s participation in that program and various additional activities, the National Auto Auction Association awarded the auction its 2019 Western Chapter Auto Auction of the Year for its outstanding public service.

In earlier announcements, NAAA named Louisiana’s 1st Choice Auto Auction as the winner of its Southern Chapter Auto Auction of the Year and Columbus Fair Auto Auction as the winner for the Midwest chapter. Another announcement highlighted ADESA Boston as NAAA's 2019 Eastern Chapter Auto Auction of the Year.

The four finalists representing NAAA’s Eastern, Midwest, Southern and Western chapters are competing for NAAA’s top honor of “Auto Auction of the Year Award for Excellence in Community Service.” At the association’s annual convention in October, NAAA will recognize all contenders with a crystal trophy. They will also be highlighted in NAAA’s member publications and receive $5,000 payable to a charity of the auction’s choice.

In 2016, NAAA established the awards in recognition of current charitable acts auctions perform and to encourage more volunteer involvement. The “Auto Auction of the Year Award for Excellence in Community Service” winner receives a large crystal loving cup and is featured on the covers of NAAA’s On The Block magazine and annual Membership Directory. The winner is also featured in an article in the publications and receives $20,000 payable to the auction’s chosen charity. Those funds are in addition to the previous $5,000 prize as a chapter finalist.

NAAA chose DAA Northwest of Spokane, Wash., for the Western chapter honor in part because of its fundraising and volunteer efforts addressing children’s challenges in its historically impoverished community. Those areas of concern include domestic violence, abuse, homelessness, hunger, school absenteeism and achievement gap.

DAA team members participate in various additional projects to help the community. Once a week for the accredited mentoring program, PrimeTime Mentoring, they spend lunch hours with students, and they have purchased items such as board games and yo-yos and work on craft projects with the children. They also thank school staff for their dedication to education by regularly bringing them lunch and home-baked treats.

The DAA team does much more than that. In conjunction with DAA’s annual Anniversary Sale every November, the auction hosts a dinner and fundraiser auction. That work has resulted in the contribution of more than $1.8 million to various local nonprofits such as the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery and Union Gospel Mission. In addition to selling items, DAA produces embroidered caps and gives them away for a $50 donation. All of those proceeds go to the featured charities.

The team has also contributed to various organizations over the past year, including the American Cancer Society, Adult & Teen Challenge, YMCA, Young Life, Spring of Hope International, Spokane River Forum, Northwest Harvest, Meals on Wheels, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Joya Child and Family Development, The Gee Foundation, Community Cancer Fund and school athletic programs.