Bridgestone Retail Operations Raises $2.8 Million for Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Fundraising enabled more youth to attend Club activities through Driving Great Futures transportation grant program

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Feb 19, 2019, 10:30 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Inc. (Bridgestone), announced it raised nearly $2.8 million to support Boys & Girls Clubs of America through its Driving Great Futures initiative in 2018. In the fourth consecutive year of its national partnership, BSRO doubled what it raised in 2017, bringing the total funds raised since 2015 to $6.6 million. One hundred percent of funds raised through the BSRO Driving Great Futures program helps Boys & Girls Clubs of America serve millions of young people through Club membership and community outreach.

At the BSRO National Leadership Conference: (L to R) Members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas with Jim Clark, president and CEO, BGCA, Evander Holyfield, BGCA Alumni Hall of Fame Member, Joe Venezia, president, BSRO.

"This record-breaking contribution would not be possible without the generosity and commitment of our customers, employees and partners. Because of their support, Bridgestone is helping ensure kids have reliable transportation to and from their local Club," said Joe Venezia, president, BSRO. "We are proud to collaborate with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help address the challenges local clubs face each day while exemplifying Our Way to Serve, the Bridgestone corporate social responsibility commitment to improving the way young people live, move and play."

In 2018, BSRO awarded 81 transportation grants to Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. Ten of the grants supported the purchase of new passenger vans outfitted with Bridgestone DriveGuard tires, which travel up to 50 miles at up to 50 mph to safety after a puncture or flat. The remaining grants supported the transportation needs of Clubs who on average serve a combined 71,000 youth each day, and nearly 800,000 youth each year.

The majority of contributions collected in 2018 were the result of in-store donations by customers through the company's network of more than 2,200 automotive service centers, as well as additional support from Credit First National Association, a business of Bridgestone Americas, and Interstate Batteries, Shell, and ITW/QMI. In addition to financial support, employees invested more than 2,000 volunteer hours in support of the Driving Great Futures program.

"Bridgestone consistently demonstrates its commitment to Boys & Girls Clubs by developing unique programs that contribute to our mission to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens," said Jim Clark, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "The transportation grant program we developed this past year with Bridgestone allowed us to collect unprecedented data and gain valuable insights about the transportation needs of our Clubs, and through funding, is enabling us to address these gaps head on. We are Driving Great Futures together."

For more information on BSRO, visit www.bsro.com.

About Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC:
Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC (BSRO) is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. and operates the largest network of company-owned automotive service providers in the world — more than 2,200 tire and vehicle service centers across the United States — including Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus, Hibdon Tires Plus and Wheel Works store locations. Credit First National Association and Firestone Complete Fleet Care operations are also part of BSRO. BSRO is a member of the Bridgestone Americas family of companies.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America:
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, 4,300 Clubs serve 4.3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Bridgestone Americas, Inc.