Collision repair businesses often look for ways to give back to the communities in which they operate. A group of body shops associated with the AkzoNobel Acoat Selected North American Performance Group (NAPG) recently took it a step further.
During the group’s September meeting in San Antonio, TX, members of the Titanium performance group donated more than 350 books and gave a financial contribution to support the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Page Turners program.
The idea originated in 2023 during an NAPG meeting in Chicago, IL. Lauren Morello, manager of accounting and operations at Bridgewater Collision Repair in Bridgewater, NJ, was attending her first event and met Carl Vincente, director of business development at Oka’s Auto Body in Honolulu, HI.
“If you know Carl, he’s the fundraising king,” said Morello. “He pitched the idea of doing a charitable initiative within our group to give back to the communities that we’re visiting and continue to build camaraderie.”
Morello, who was passionate about volunteering while in college and had recently graduated, loved the idea. She shared it with her fellow body shop representatives, including Rich Porcelli Jr., VP of operations at Porcelli's Auto Center in West Warwick, RI, who had significant experience in nonprofit charitable activities.
After receiving overwhelming support, Morello and Porcelli teamed up to coordinate an impactful giveaway.
Their first idea was to build 30 bikes for kids. They reached out to the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio, and found that instead of donating bikes, there was a real need for books to help kids reading below grade level.
“We pitched the idea to the Titanium group and they loved it,” recalled Morello. “We got together and made it happen.”
“The goal was to support kids throughout the four Boys & Girls Clubs in San Antonio who are reading below grade level and needed to partner with a reading specialist at the Boys and Girls Club,” explained Porcelli.
More than 350 books and a financial contribution were given to support the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Page Turners program.
Morello set up a GoFundMe page and she and Porcelli reached out to their performance group for donations. The initial goal was to raise $2,000 and use half the money to buy 40 books and donate the remainder. They collaborated with a local bookstore, Nowhere Bookstore, which loved the initiative and offered a 30% discount.
Ultimately, they raised $6,250. Part of the money was used to purchase 350 books, and the remaining $1,500 was allocated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio Page Turners program and other clubhouse needs.
“We were extremely successful in this endeavor, so I want to give a big-shout out to the Titanium group for everything that happened,” said Porcelli.
“As the facilitator of the Titanium group, hearing how much this act was going to directly benefit young boys and girls in San Antonio was emotionally impactful,” said Tim Ronak, senior services consultant for AkzoNobel. “The body shops felt strongly that the best thing they could do to connect with their communities is to give back through charitable activities like this.”
Supporting Local Initiatives
Before presenting the books to the Boys and Girls Club, members of the Titanium Group spent time writing motivational messages in each book.
“Being able to come together with a group of respected colleagues and give back to such a great cause is a blessing that we must embrace,” said Rob Stringer, owner of Arizona Collision Center in Phoenix, AZ. “A small amount of money and attention makes such a huge difference to so many children. The happiness on everyone’s faces who were involved was infectious and a proud moment.”
Body shop representatives spent time writing motivational messages in each book.
Stringer said it doesn’t matter where shops donate. Instead, it is about making a difference and leading by example.
“If you would like your local community to support your business, then you must give back to the community as well,” he advised. “Anyone should always follow their heart and do whatever makes them feel joy. When someone lives in pure joy, they can provide the best for not only themselves but all the other people relying on them such as their team and the community that trusts them to provide a service.”
“As a recognized collision repair business, there’s tremendous value knowing and establishing a connection with those around you,” said Kyle Okahara, a partner owner of Oka’s Auto Body in Waipahu, HI. “Support to the community fosters a sense of caring and responsibility in helping others. We take pride in knowing what we can do to assist people using our specialized trade.”
Okahara said coming from the automotive industry, he and his team members were happy to see a unique need identified and that they were able to provide a means to an end.
“Being able to supply books to The Boys & Girls Club of San Antonio and knowing what this meant to the children was extremely gratifying,” he said. “We appreciate being part of their learning path and happy to support this great cause.”
During the September NAPG meeting, the books and check were presented to Cynthia Hoffman, director of development at the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio.
In addition to providing after-school and summer programs, the Boys & Girls Clubs organizes a Young Achievers program where staff talk about future careers and the option of joining a trade. When Hoffman learned a group of body shops wanted to support the organization, she thought it would be a great fit and suggested they help with the Page Turns program.
The “Harry Potter” series, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Charlotte’s Web” were among the books donated.
“We have a real challenge with reading proficiency, with only 46% of students in San Antonio reading at grade level proficiency,” explained Hoffman. “It’s a really dire situation.”
She said research from the Casey Foundation underscores that students who read proficiently by the end of the third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school on time.
“Our mission is to empower youth today to build a better tomorrow,” said Hoffman. “That is a hefty mission, and it comes with a lot of responsibility and a lot of weight.”
The Page Turners program was established five years ago and focuses on grades K to 3. Participants meet with a reading specialist and engage in targeted activities designed to help them advance to their grade level reading proficiency.
“The donation today is huge,” Hoffman told the body shops during the NAPG. “The books that you’re donating are going to go into our libraries at each of our clubhouses. Students will read the books during the Page Turners program and have the opportunity to check them out and take them home.”
Other Benefits of Helping
Porcelli said he and Morello really enjoyed planning the fundraiser and experiencing how their efforts resulted in impacting the local community.
“It was really fun, and it wasn't as hard as you might think,” he said.
Porcelli encourages others to take the time to engage in something similar but recommends doing research first. “One important thing that we discovered is we needed to ask the community what they wanted, not assume that we knew what they needed,” said Porcelli.
In addition to the positive impact of donating to a charity and making a difference, Morello said there are tax incentives associated with a charitable donation and other tangible business benefits.
“Employees want to know that you care about people over profit and caring about the things your employees care about builds employee morale and employee retention,” she said.
Morello added that it can be a cost-effective way to market to customers.
“Building relationships based on compassion and empathy organically grows your consumer-to-consumer marketing, which is statistically the most impactful marketing,” she explained.
Stacey Phillips Ronak