American Tire Distributors And The Gary Sinise Foundation Host First Responder Appreciation Day To Honor Our Nation's Heros
September 13, 2023 - American Tire Distributors (ATD) was the presenting sponsor for ‘First Responder Appreciation Day’ hosted by the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) on Sunday at the U.S. National Whitewater Center (5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28214). While free to attend, donations made during the event supported GSF’s initiatives, such as building custom homes for severely wounded heroes, honoring and supporting the families of our fallen, providing essential equipment and training for first responders, improving the mental wellness of our defenders, and more.
In partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to serving our nation's defenders, veterans, first responders, and their families, First Responder Appreciation Day brought together community members, local first responders, and distinguished guests, including Huntersville Mayor, Melinda Bales, to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary dedication of these first responders.
The event featured a free buffet for the first 1,000 registrants, a hands-on ‘Touch-a-Truck’ activity with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) bomb squad, and a performance by Gary Sinise & The Lt. Dan Band, with opening act Stolen Silver. With support from the contributions of ATD, GSF also awarded more than $100,000 in grants to provide vital equipment for the East Gaston Volunteer Fire Department, Union Vale Volunteer Fire Department, and CMPD.
"At ATD, we have deep respect and appreciation for the commitment of our first responders. This event provided us the opportunity to show our gratitude for their tireless dedication and to contribute to an organization that shares our values," said Stuart Schuette, President and CEO of ATD. "The Gary Sinise Foundation's work in supporting our first responders and veterans is truly commendable, and we are honored to continue our partnership through First Responder Appreciation Day."
ATD has raised $2.75 million for GSF since the partnership began in 2019. This year, ATD has a goal to raise $1.5 million for GSF through the third annual Summer for Heroes campaign, which will fund mental health and suicide prevention programs, community outreach, and support programs for families of fallen heroes. The campaign will end in October with the Gala and Golf for Heroes.
"When I started the Gary Sinise Foundation, it was important to me that we included serving and uplifting our nation's first responders as an integral part of our mission. And with the tremendous generosity of American Tire Distributors, we are able to make an even bigger impact for the courageous firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel who work to ensure our communities are safe nationwide,” said Gary Sinise, actor, humanitarian, and founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation.
To contribute to ATD's Summer for Heroes campaign or learn more about the Gary Sinise Foundation, click here.
About American Tire Distributors
American Tire Distributors is one of the largest independent suppliers of tires to the replacement tire market. It operates more than 115 distribution centers serving approximately 80,000 customers across the U.S. The company offers an unsurpassed breadth and depth of inventory, frequent delivery, and value-added services to tire and automotive service customers. American Tire Distributors employs approximately 4,500 associates across its distribution center network. In 2023, the company has been recognized as: one of Charlotte's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For®; a Silver Stevie® award winner for Automotive & Transport Equipment (Large) Company of the Year; a SEAL Environmental Initiative Award winner; one of the Nation's Summer 2023 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR); and an Environment+Energy Leader Award winner.
About the Gary Sinise Foundation
Gary Sinise is an award-winning actor and humanitarian, best known for his roles in CSI:NY, Apollo 13, and his Oscar-nominated performance in the film Forrest Gump as the wounded Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor. An advocate for our nation’s defenders since the 1980s, after 9/11, Sinise began a tireless crusade to support America’s military and first responders around the world with handshake tours and concerts with his band, the Lt. Dan Band. In 2011, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation as an extension of those efforts. Today, the Foundation is building custom homes for severely wounded heroes, honoring and supporting the families of our fallen, providing essential equipment and training for first responders, improving the mental wellness of our defenders, and so much more. For more information and to support, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.
