Pep Boys announced it presented the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) with a $100,000 donation, representing a significant new investment by the 100-year-old company in America’s military veterans. The Bob Woodruff Foundation works to ensure our nation’s impacted veterans, service members and their families have access to the highest level of support and resources they have earned, for as long as they need it.
The donation is one of a series of initiatives announced in conjunction with the Pep Boys Centennial Celebration and represents a commitment to the Bob Woodruff Foundation as a long-term strategic partner. Pep Boys announced its intention to establish the partnership last year with the launch of the Pep Boys Centennial Calendar, of which a portion of the proceeds had been earmarked for the Foundation. Pep Boys CEO Brian Kaner presented a check for $100,000 to the organization’s co-founder Bob Woodruff and BWF CEO Anne Marie Dougherty in New York City on Monday.
“The original Pep Boys were veterans looking to start the next phase of their lives after World War I, and in the process, they founded a company that has lasted a century and continues to give generations of those who served the opportunity to write their own next chapter,” said CEO Brian Kaner. “It’s now time for Pep Boys to take our commitment to our nation’s heroes even further through dedicated programming and engagement in our local communities, and the Bob Woodruff Foundation is the perfect partner with which to do so.”
“We’re so grateful for the generosity of the Pep Boys team. It’s exciting to find a partner who shares our vision and values and has the national reach to make a positive difference in the lives of veterans from coast to coast,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO, Bob Woodruff Foundation. “Through this donation and our continuing partnership, we’ll be able to support veterans as they bring their strengths to the civilian workforce in meaningful new careers.”
Pep Boys’ investment in the veteran community will be activated by the Bob Woodruff Foundation through a combination of grantmaking, public awareness, and community network activation across the nation where the company has locations. The partnership will also give the employees of Pep Boys’ nearly 1,000 Service and Tire Centers the opportunity to live out the company’s vision to “be the one communities count on to keep them moving,” through local engagement and volunteer opportunities.
In addition to its partnership with Bob Woodruff Foundation, Pep Boys offers opportunities for veterans to apply their talents and dedication within one of the nation’s largest and most dynamic industries. The company supports its own workforce development initiatives, including the “Race to 2026,” which recruits and supports talented technicians in the automotive industry and is designed to help close America’s skills gap. The company also recently gifted $100,000 in new scholarships for aspiring automotive technicians.
Pep Boys works extensively with RecruitMilitary, the nation’s largest military-focused recruiting company, to help veterans identify and pursue career opportunities best suited to their skills and interests. The company also contributes to the community as a fourth-year affiliate of Progressive’s Keys to Progress initiative, which has donated more than 750 vehicles to help veterans and their families move forward in their post-military lives and careers; and the beloved U.S. Marine Toys for Tots program which collects new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children during the holiday season. Year-round, Pep Boys offers an everyday discount* on automotive services to all active, reserve and retired members of the military.
