NASCAR charitable donations are made through the NASCAR Foundation. The Foundation is devoted to giving money to nonprofit organizations that work to improve the lives of children in the United States.
About the NASCAR Charitable Donations Fund
The NASCAR Fund helps many organizations in various areas of need. However, the Foundation doesn't make donations directly to individuals and does not accept unsolicited grant requests.
Some of the nonprofits that are funded through NASCAR's charitable foundation include:
- Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma - This organiztion is dedicated to improving care for critically injured children.
- The Dale Earnhardt Foundation - This foundation was founded by Teresa Earnhardt in Dale's memory. It focuses on wildlife preservation and children's causes
- Racing 4 Literacy - This organization teaches kids about racing while working to improve their reading and writing skills at the same time
- The Ryan Newman Foundation - This foundation teaches children and adults about conservation and provides scholarships to youth interested in racing
- Women's Auxiliary of Motorsports, Inc., The Auxiliary works to improve the lives of families with wellness and education programs.
Supporting the Foundation
Cash Donations
The easiest way to make a NASCAR charitable donation is to go to the foundation's website. Note that, depending on when you decide to donate, your funds can go to support several different causes. For example, donations made in July 2010 went to benefit victims of the Nashville area floods.If you'd rather not donate over the Web, you can also submit a donation by mail. Simply send a check, made out to NASCAR Foundation, to NASCAR Plaza, 550 South Caldwell Street, Suite 2000, Charlotte, NC 28202.
Track Walk Participation
Another way to support the foundation is by participating in a Track Walk. These walks can be thrilling for NASCAR fans, since you get to actually stroll the course driven by NASCAR champions. Often, these champions actually join in the festivities. There is a small registration fee, and walkers are encouraged to solicit donations. The top fundraiser usually receives a prize, such as a pair of pit passes. You can find out more about Track Walks, and see if one is coming to a track near you, by checking out the online calendar.
Online Auction Purchases
Finally, you can lend monetary support by purchasing items through the online auction. You can buy items related to racing, such as autographed tires, VIP experiences where you can meet your favorite drivers, artwork, musical instruments and more. The auction shop has hundreds of items available on most days. You can see them all at the online NASCAR Superstore. Be sure to read the entire product description to ensure that proceeds from the item you're bidding on go to the foundation.
Volunteer Opportunities
Never forget that volunteering is a charitable donation in and of itself. Instead of giving your money, you are giving your time instead. Some of the volunteer opportunities that may be open to you include soliciting donations for the foundation or selling products that benefit it, registering people for special events or heading a silent auction. To find out more about how you can help, call 704-348-9657.
