Bridgestone Retail Operations, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, surprised youth from 12 Boys & Girls Clubs located across the country this holiday season by donating new passenger vans that will give more kids and teens access to high-impact, out-of-school programming.
The donations are a part of Bridgestone’s Driving Great Futures initiative, which has raised over $20 million to connect kids and teens with Boys & Girls Clubs of America programs and resources nationwide since 2015.
The new vans will provide transportation for kids to get to and from the Clubs, as well as allow for field trips, college tours and other enrichment opportunities. Bridgestone will also support these Boys & Girls Clubs by maintaining the new vehicles at its retail stores, helping to ensure that they stay in good working order. Van Grant Club recipients included:
- Boys & Girls Club of Allentown in Allentown, Pa.
- Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell in Lowell, Mass.
- Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Boys & Girls Club of Hernando County in Brooksville, Fla.
- Boys & Girls Club of Meriden in Meriden, Conn.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties in Durham, N.C.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County in Fresno, Calif.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County in Santa Cruz, Calif.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield in Stoneham, Mass.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County in Goldsboro, N.C.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County Indiana Inc. in Richmond, Ind.
- Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls Club of Cairo-Grady County in Thomasville, Ga.
In addition, Bridgestone donated a total of $400,000 in transportation grants to 20 other Boys & Girls Clubs to maintain existing Club fleets or support the purchase of new Club passenger vans.
“At Bridgestone, we believe in the transformative power of Boys & Girls Clubs programming to bridge gaps and build strong futures for young people,” said Marko Ibrahim, President, Bridgestone Retail Operations. “This holiday season, we are honoured to help Clubs in every corner of the country reach more kids and teens who will now have access to life-changing resources and experiences.”
More than transportation
“These vans are so much more than transportation; they’re vehicles to young people experiencing new opportunities and building deeper connections within their communities,” said Jim Clark, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “We’re grateful for Bridgestone’s partnership in removing hurdles, like transportation, to make the Club experience more accessible to countless kids and teens.”
In 2015, Bridgestone established its national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America with the mission of making out-of-school programming more accessible to Club youth and their families. Through donations collected at the company’s 2,200+ retail stores, Bridgestone has contributed funds to address transportation-related needs, including maintenance and repairs of existing Club vehicles and the purchase of new vans, as well as bridge technology divides through the purchase of new computers and hotspots that support in-person Club programming, virtual classroom learning and other technology infrastructure needs.
The Bridgestone Driving Great Futures partnership aligns with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment which consists of eight Bridgestone-like values starting with the letter “E” to realize a sustainable society. The Driving Great Futures initiative is an example of the company’s commitment to “Empowerment,” which is defined as contributing to a society that ensures accessibility and dignity for all and “Emotion”, defined as inspiring excitement and spreading joy to the world of mobility.
