Auto Trends Magazine

Car reviews, industry news, & advice.

donation

NAPA AUTO PARTS Supports Intrepid Fallen Heroes with $1.5 Million Donation

by Leave a Comment

Special to Auto Trends Magazine.

NAPA AUTO PARTS announced this week that it has completed its eighth annual “Get Back and Give Back” Campaign. Launched in 2012, NAPA’s “Get Back and Give Back” Campaign supports the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF), a not-for-profit organization and national leader in supporting the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

In 2019, NAPA’s military month promotions raised over $1.5 million for the cause. Since 2012, NAPA AUTO PARTS has raised, and donated, over $13 million in funds to build regional Intrepid Spirit Centers that can diagnose and treat Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) in active duty service members.

NAPA AUTO PARTS stores and NAPA AutoCare Centers partnered in multiple promotional programs in 2019 to raise money for the IFHF.  This included campaigns selling “We Believe in Heroes” t-shirts and a Hero Hat program in stores, where proceeds from NAPA’s generous customers were contributed to the campaign. In addition, dedicated NAPA suppliers participated in several programs to help raise funds.

“NAPA has a very large military family, including our employees and our customers who have served or are actively serving in the armed forces,” said Jason Rainey, VP of NAPA AutoCare, NAPA AUTO PARTS. “One of our top priorities is ensuring this family has the support it deserves, especially in raising awareness for injuries such as PTS and TBI that are often underfunded, unrecognized, and untreated. In this unique and challenging time with the worldwide pandemic, we are proud to extend the funds that were raised in 2019 without interruption. Furthermore, we’re proud to partner with the IFHF again in 2020 even in these unprecedented times. The 2020 “We Believe in ALL Heroes” campaign focuses on our military as well as those who have served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“We want to thank NAPA AUTO PARTS for their years of supporting the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and ensuring that the men and women who are injured while defending our nation will have access to the best care available,” said Arnold Fisher, honorary chairman of the IFHF. “With partnerships like this as well as public donations, we are able to help our armed services members who suffer from TBI, PTS, and other psychological health conditions recover from their injuries and return to their lives.”

About Get Back Give Back Campaign

The “Get Back and Give Back” Campaign makes NAPA one of the single largest donors to the Fund. The proceeds go towards the IFHF’s mission of building ten Intrepid Spirit centers around the country that diagnose and treat Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) in U.S. service members.

About NAPA AUTO PARTS

NAPA (www.NAPAonline.com) was founded in 1925 to meet America’s growing need for an auto parts distribution system. Today NAPA has grown to nearly 6,000 NAPA AUTO PARTS stores, 57 distribution centers with more than 400,000 part numbers in inventory, and more than 17,000 NAPA AutoCare and AutoCare Collision Centers nationwide.

ABOUT INTREPID FALLEN HEROES FUND (IFHF)

The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF) is a leader in supporting the men and women of the United States armed forces and their families. Established in 2000, IFHF has provided over $200 million in support for the families of military personnel lost in service to our nation, and for severely wounded service members and their families.

Today IFHF is leading efforts to help service members suffering the terrible effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) by building a series of ten specially-designed treatment facilities, called Intrepid Spirit Centers, at military bases around the nation.  Within these centers, service members receive the most advanced and proven care to address the complex symptoms of TBI, with the goal of returning these men and women to their duties in the armed forces.

Seven Intrepid Spirit Centers are already open and serving America’s brave service members, and the care provided has allowed more than 90% of patients to continue their service in the armed forces. Construction on the eighth Center began in May 2019. For more information about this effort, visit www.fallenheroesfund.org.

CARSTAR Raises $230,000 in Fight Against Cystic Fibrosis

by 3 Comments

The Annual CARSTAR North American Conference concludes with record funds raised.

CARSTAR
To date, CARSTAR has raised nearly a half-million dollars in the
battle to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

CARSTAR franchise partners, vendors and insurance leaders from both the U.S. and Canada came together this week at the annual North American conference and raised an astonishing $230,000 for cystic fibrosis research, care and advocacy.

Throughout the Momentum 2018 CARSTAR conference, attendees had various opportunities to donate to its charitable cause. Proceeds raised from selling CARSTAR branded socks, participating in the “Walk the Line” charity walk and bids on the silent auction all went towards fighting cystic fibrosis (CF). However, nobody was expecting the uncontrollable generosity for the final night at the CARSTAR Dinner and Awards Gala. Franchise partners mobilized, almost instantly, with a colossal showing of generosity raising $200,000 in that room alone.

“I have never been more proud to be a part of the CARSTAR family and to be working for this outstanding network of franchise partners,” said Michael Macaluso, President, CARSTAR, shown at podium above. “All we said was, ‘You can ring a bell if you donate $500’. Almost instantly, the whole room began working together to collect funds, lined up to donate on the spot or feverishly bid on the silent auction items. I was moved by the heartfelt generosity – it was an emotional evening for everyone in that room and is something that I will never forget.”

Partnering to Make a Difference in the Fight Against Cystic Fibrosis

Peter Chavez from the LC Group was first in line to donate with a $1,000 contribution that they eventually tripled later in the evening. CARSTAR Red Deer was next in line with a $1,000 donation, which was on top of the donated $2,000 prize money from Wednesday’s Shine Month Award. After that, donations came from every corner of the continent, including whole regions banning together for a partnered contribution.

Some notable donations came from:

  • CARSTAR St. Louis Business Group
  • CARSTAR British Columbia locations
  • CARSTAR Quebec locations
  • CARSTAR Edmonton Locations
  • CARSTAR Missouri-Kansas Business Group
  • CARSTAR Atlantic Canada locations
  • Tom Martin from CARSTAR Sidney Body, CARSTAR Troy and CARSTAR Piqua
  • Bob Waldron from Lancaster A-1 A B CARSTAR, Waldron’s CARSTAR Auto Body and Thomas Waldron CARSTAR Auto Body
  • Justin Fisher from CARSTAR Yorkville and CARSTAR Poplar
  • Corey and Charlotte Liss from CARSTAR Liss Auto Body and CARSTAR Liss Auto Body Schererville
  • CARSTAR Colorado business group
  • CARSTAR corporate staff

CARSTAR Ontario Leads the Way

CARSTAR Ontario locations put everyone into a state of disbelief by putting forward a colossal donation of $75,000. The Colorado Business Group, shown at right, closed out the fundraising frenzy with an $11,000 donation to push CARSTAR over the $200,000 threshold for the evening. This was on top of their $500 donation from Wednesday’s Shine Month Award prize money.

The uncontrollable fundraising momentum ended after Dave Stretz from the CMD Group secured the priceless auction item of a painting done by 6-year-old Faith Newell, who lives with CF. Mark Kharfan from the Kharfan Group also purchased $3,000 worth of CARSTAR socks, with all proceeds going toward helping the quest to end CF.

“Going into the evening, I knew CARSTAR was passionate about our cause as I have worked with the Alberta locations on various fundraising initiatives,” said P.J. Aucoin, Cystic Fibrosis Canada volunteer. “However, that night absolutely blew me away. Sitting in my seat, stunned with emotion, I witnessed everyone at that gala flock to the front, eager to contribute. I wanted to get up on stage and express how much this enormous generosity means to not only my family, but on behalf of all families affected by CF – but I was too overcome with emotion. From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of my 6-year-old son Nash, thank you, CARSTAR.”

Reaching Higher With Additional Fund-Raising Opportunities

The annual CARSTAR cystic fibrosis fundraising target for 2018 was $375,000. Thanks to the CARSTAR Momentum 2018 conference, the network shattered its goal. The current total for funds raised is now at $470,000 with the Colorado Business Group and Edmonton, Alberta golf tournaments still yet to happen. The passion behind this cause has never had more momentum and the CARSTAR network plans to keep it going for next year’s conference in Chicago, Illinois.

For a full recap of the entire conference, visit YouTube.

For more information on CARSTAR, visit CARSTAR.com or CARSTAR.ca.

Photo courtesy of CARSTAR Franchising, Inc.