The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) announced that Driven Brands Collision will provide $2,000 Driven Collision Grants to the collision repair education programs in 14 secondary and post-secondary schools. The grants were funded by a $25,000 donation, along with additional funds previously donated by CARSTAR, and will benefit educational facilities located in CARSTAR, ABRA and Fix Auto USA markets. Recipient schools use these funds to enhance their students’ experience and elevate the caliber of their graduates.
“As industry leaders, we need to raise awareness about opportunities within our field and support future technicians by providing these vocational schools with much-needed resources,” said Matt Bell, vice president of Franchise Services, Driven Brands. “In partnership with the Collision Repair Education Foundation, we are excited about the potential we are seeing in these talented students and we hope these funds fuel the growth of collision repair programs.”
Eligibility for these awards was achieved by applying for CREF’s 2020 Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grant. The Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants recognize schools that excel at educating students in collision repair, but due to strained school budgets, the programs require additional financial assistance to provide the tools, equipment and supplies necessary to ensure that students are prepared to successfully enter the workforce upon graduation. Applications for the 2021 Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants will be available online in March 2021.
Driven Brands Collision Group awarded $2,000 Driven Collision Grants to:
- Eden Area Regional Occupational Program Center (Hayward, Calif.)
- Contra Costa College (San Pablo, Calif.)
- Seminole High School (Sanford, Fla.)
- Paulding County High School (Dallas, Ga.)
- Kootenai Technical Education Campus (Rathdrum, Idaho)
- Wichita Public Schools (Wichita, Kansas)
- Minnesota State College Southeast (Winona, Minn.)
- Southeast Community College (Milford, N.E.)
- W. D. Ormsby Educational Center (East Aurora, N.Y.)
- Stanly Community College (Albemarle, N.C.)
- Woolard Technology Center (Camden, S.C.)
- JB Hensler College and Career Academy (Manvel, Texas)
- Ogden High School (Ogden, Utah)
- Chippewa Valley Technical College (Eau Claire, Wis.)
Industry members interested in supporting CREF’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs should contact Brandon Eckenrode, director of development, at (312) 231-0258 or [email protected]. Monetary donations can be made online.
