Beyond the fireworks and fanfare: Honoring our veterans for the Fourth of July
To celebrate the Fourth of July, we’re reflecting on the heroic military families Maaco has crossed paths with over the years through the partnership and support of Operation Homefront.
As we gear up for a long weekend full of family, friends, and fun, it’s crucial to remember the true purpose of the Fourth of July: celebrating our freedom and, more importantly, remembering and honoring those who fought for it.
Maaco — North America’s body shop and a valued member of the Driven Brands family of brands— has a longstanding history of honoring active-duty military members and veterans who have served our country, as well as their families.
Donation drives and gifting programs
In 2018, Maaco launched The Maaco Foundation in partnership with Operation Homefront, to work alongside franchise owners, customers, employees, and vendors to support military families. This partnership has raised awareness to the vital work of nurturing strong, stable, and secure military families – allowing them to thrive and flourish in their communities.
In the fall of 2019, Maaco and Operation Homefront donated 150 meal kits to military families in the Fort Lauderdale area. In 2020, they shifted to virtual donations, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and encouraged the network to sponsor meals directly.
Maaco’s support for veterans extends to the children of military families as well. A 2021 holiday season partnership with Operation Homefront saw the donation of over 130 toys for children on the Fort Liberty military base.
In November 2022, Maaco leveraged its network during the 50th-anniversary convention to run a food drive where attendees worked together to package over 200 food baskets for veteran and/or active-duty members and their families located in the San Diego area.
Maaco is also a proud partner of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) and supports the Recycled Rides initiative. Recycled Rides works with the collision repair industry to repair and donate vehicles to veterans in need. Numerous Maaco locations have participated in the program, with the most recent gifting in Texas from Maaco Plano and Maaco Wylie. The recipient was a veteran who used her donated vehicle to finish pursuing her undergraduate degree.
Job search aid and advocacy
Since 2021, Maaco has been a member of the Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). The program connects military spouses with partner employers who are committed to recruiting, hiring, and nurturing the careers of military spouses.
Also in 2021, VetJobs partnered with Maaco to help military-affiliated job seekers find open positions at Maaco across the Nation. VetJobs is the top online resource for military-affiliated job seekers looking to attain a rewarding career.
Customer-focused campaigns and recognition
Earlier this year, Maaco conducted its first-ever “Love Your Car” campaign, where one lucky customer was gifted a free paint job. Maaco owners across the country to nominated deserving customers.
The winning nominee came from Pete Schwartz, owner of Maaco Greenville-NC, who completed an estimate for the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 7032 located in Greenville, N.C. This century-old non-profit organization is dedicated to advocating for all United States veterans and veteran families.
The execution of the “Love Your Car” campaign resulted in Maaco Greenville gifting the organization with a freshly painted 1941 piece of U.S. Army artillery.
“At Maaco, we paint anything, but this project was special because it filled my team and me with so much pride,” said Pete Schwartz, owner of Maaco Greenville. “Seeing how everyone jumped right in to tackle this project was incredible. I look forward to continuing our efforts in giving back to our deserving community.”
Supporting veterans is a mission close to Maaco’s heart
For Daryl Hurst, President of Maaco, supporting veterans and their families isn’t an initiative separate from the business; it hits close to home. “Many of our employees and franchisees within the Maaco family have served and given their lives to the military, so causes like these are very close to our hearts. I am deeply proud of our Maaco family and our communities for pledging their support for these initiatives,” he said.
To date, Maaco is proud to have raised over $100,000 for military families. This would not be possible without the incredible support of the locally owned and operated network of shops that emphasize giving back to their local communities and uplifting military families.