American Tire Distributors (ATD) announced that it raised $1.5M for the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF), setting a record for the largest amount of money ATD has ever raised for the organization. GSF is ATD's philanthropic partner dedicated to providing support to military service men and women, veterans, first responders and their families.
ATD announced the increased fundraising goal as part of this year's "Summer for Heroes Giving Campaign." The campaign ran June 1 through Aug. 31 and included ATD associates, its subsidiary Tire Pros and their dealers and associates as well as tire manufacturers, vendor partners and even customers.
The donation was presented to GSF on a giant-sized check at the second-annual Gala for Heroes last night. The gala featured a performance by the Lt. Dan Band as well as appearances from Josh Berry and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and an auction benefiting the Foundation.
"Extending this year's fundraising opportunities to include our customers, manufacturers, partners, and associates is what truly bolstered our giving this year, Supporting our nation's heroes is a cause that is close to the heart of our organization and inviting our larger community to join in and see what we could do collectively is truly inspiring, I've seen firsthand the impact that the Gary Sinise Foundation has on our nation's heroes, Military service men and women, veterans and first responders, as well as their families, have sacrificed so much for our freedom, and while we can never do enough, my hope is this donation helps promote their recovery"
-Stuart Schuette, president and CEO of ATD.
GSF has been ATD's primary brand cause since 2019, and this year's donation will support three critical programs including Relief & Resiliency, First Responders Outreach, R.I.S.E, and Mental Wellness initiatives that help service members and first responders overcome post-traumatic stress and regain independence.
The support of incredible partners like American Tire Distributors gives us the ability to truly transform the lives of those who made sacrifices for our country, said actor and philanthropist Gary Sinise. We are so grateful to everyone at ATD and look forward to what we will accomplish in future to support many more of our deserving heroes and their families.
Highlights of this year's campaign included Tire Pros driver Josh Berry participating in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola with custom-wrapped 'Summer for Heroes' panel designs on his No. 8 Chevrolet, as well as a "5K for Heroes" fundraiser run on Sept. 10 and the 32nd Annual Golf Classic taking place today.
ATD also raised donations through an internal 'Partner for Heroes' program, which encouraged Tire Pros dealers around the country to contribute to the campaign and allowed them to share the opportunity with their customers directly for the first time ever.
About American Tire Distributors:
American Tire Distributors is one of the largest independent suppliers of tires to the replacement tire market. It operates more than 115 distribution centers serving approximately 80,000 customers across the U.S. The company offers an unsurpassed breadth and depth of inventory, frequent delivery, and value-added services to tire and automotive service customers. American Tire Distributors employs approximately 4,500 associates across its distribution center network. In 2022, the company was recognized as one of Forbes' 2022 America's Best Midsize Employers and the #88 Most Loved Workplace by Newsweek.
About Gary Sinise Foundation:
The Gary Sinise Foundation was established under the philanthropic direction of award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, who has been an advocate of our nation's defenders for nearly 40 years. The Gary Sinise Foundation's mission is to serve our country by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. The Foundation's four programmatic pillars are our way of "doing a little more" for those who sacrifice so much for our country. As our Founder and Chairman Gary Sinise always says, "While we can never do enough for our defenders and their loved ones, we can always do a little more." That spirit of service is the bedrock of all of the Foundation's programs, which include R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) Program, Relief and Resiliency Program, Community and Education Program, the First Responders Outreach Program.