ACDelco announced recently that its team members and ACDelco Professional Service Centers in 25 states completed $200,000 in complimentary vehicle repairs for more than 200 people in need last week.
As part of the ACDelco National Day of Service, ACDelco employees worked with local non-profits to identify people, including single parents, veterans, retirees and cancer survivors, whose quality of life could be improved by repairs as simple as a brake job or as complex as an engine rebuild. ACDelco then donated the necessary parts and local shops completed the repairs free of charge.
“The 40 repair shops that joined the ACDelco National Day of Service were all working towards the same goal: making people’s lives easier and safer by getting their vehicles up and running,” said Mark Drennan, general director, ACDelco. “People have so many things to juggle in their lives that it’s easy to postpone routine maintenance like changing brake pads, especially if money is an issue. But that can and does lead to more expensive repairs down the road – we see it every day. Costs can snowball and it can become overwhelming. We’ve helped lift that burden for hundreds of people.”
A recent AAA study shows that paying for routine maintenance and repairs can be a major challenge for many people. According to AAA, one in three U.S. drivers are not able to afford a car repair bill of $500 without taking on debt. For many, it’s a choice they have to make between fixing their vehicle and necessities like food and rent. Many even risk driving in unsafe or not properly maintained vehicles, which can lead to accidents.
One of the shops to participate was Charlie’s Auto in Mason City, Iowa, owned by Charlie West. He dedicated his Day of Service to helping military veterans and hosted an additional 300 people from the community.
“Our community is very important to us. They’re not just our customers, they’re our neighbors,” said West. “We know that some of our community members don’t have the budget for some of these repairs – so the work we’ve done here with ACDelco can have a big impact on their lives.”
Local charities assisted in the effort by identifying individuals and families in the community who could benefit from the assistance.
This year marks the second annual National Day of Service event. Overall, ACDelco has provided free repairs to almost 300 people across the country through its Day of Service program.
To learn more about ACDelco, visit ACDelco.com.