Gary Sinise Foundation and ATD Honor Central North Carolina First Responders
Gary Sinise Foundation and ATD Honor Central North Carolina First Responders, Serving Meals of Gratitude and Presenting Over $150,000 for New Equipment to the Heroes Serving and Protecting Our Communities.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) and American Tire Distributors (ATD) came together on Thursday, August 28, to honor and support central North Carolina first responders to serve meals of gratitude through Serving Heroes, a powerful opportunity to connect with and express gratitude to the men and women who serve and protect our communities every day. View more photos and videos from the day.
In addition, GSF and ATD presented grants totaling almost $150,000 to four local departments in the central North Carolina region, funding essential life-saving equipment to help them perform their jobs to the best of their ability as part of GSF’s First Responders Outreach program. These grants were made possible through generous donations received from ATD’s vendor partners throughout 2024
Those departments receiving equipment grants include:
- Iredell County Volunteer Search & Rescue Team - $20,000 for a drone
- Burke Rescue Squadron - $9,446 for rope rescue equipment
- North Catawba Fire-Rescue Department, Inc. - $81,305 for a rescue boat with a fire pump
- Bethlehem Community Fire and Rescue Inc. - $37,400 for a Side by Side to aid in woodland response
“We are honored to support the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting others,” said Laurie Heavner, Chief People Officer at ATD. “Partnering with the Gary Sinise Foundation allows us to give back in a meaningful way and show our appreciation for our everyday heroes.”
The event brought together approximately 10 ATD volunteers who served lunch to more than 40 first responders from the grant recipients. It was a heartfelt celebration of service, sacrifice, and community partnership.
“On behalf of our founder Gary Sinise, we are honored to show our deep appreciation and gratitude for our central North Carolina first responders, who risk their lives every single day to protect their communities. Amazing corporate partners like ATD allow us to further amplify our connections with our heroes around the country, and we are proud to be in central North Carolina to support their local heroes,” said Sarah Hollis, Vice President of Philanthropy at the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Learn more about ATD’s commitment to our nation’s heroes by visiting https://www.atd.com/who-we-are/giving-back/social-responsibility. For more information on the Gary Sinise Foundation, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.
