5th annual Veterans Day event celebrates service and provides opportunities for renewed independence

In recognition of Veterans Day, Heritage | MileOne Autogroup and nonprofit partner Vehicles for Change (VFC), for the fifth year, presented 10 vehicles to local veterans whose lives will be transformed by reliable transportation and a renewed sense of independence.

The event featured remarks from Maryland Interim Secretary of Veterans Affairs Ed Rothstein, representatives from MileOne Autogroup and Vehicles for Change, and from car recipient Daniel Ray Whiteaker (of Cecil County), a Marine Corps veteran and father of two whose new vehicle enables him to pursue job opportunities and reconnect regularly with his daughters in Virginia..

(Photos credit: Annalise Dietz, MileOne Autogroup)

Since first partnering in 2017, MileOne Autogroup and VFC have awarded more than 230 vehicles, valued at over $1.5 million, to individuals and families working to overcome transportation barriers. The partnership also supports VFC’s Full Circle Auto Training Program, which provides reentry and workforce development opportunities for justice-involved and underemployed individuals.

Through MileOneCares, MileOne Autogroup’s corporate giving initiative, the company invests in programs that expand access to transportation and create long-term community impact across the Mid-Atlantic.

In addition to Whiteaker, other veteran recipients who left with their own vehicle included:

• Cory Mussenden (Baltimore County), an Army veteran and father of five whose new vehicle will allow his family to travel safely and spend more time together;
• Sylvester Palmer (Anne Arundel County), an Army veteran and caseworker who currently commutes six hours a day to help others; this vehicle reduces that to just 20 minutes, giving him more time with family and community;
• Eugene Anthony (Cecil County), an Army veteran and father of four who will gain independence and stability after years of relying on public transit;
• Byron Branch (Baltimore City), a Navy veteran receiving the chance to secure stable employment and rebuild vital family connections across state lines;
• and Xavier Travers (Cecil County), a Navy veteran who sees this vehicle as the final step toward rebuilding his life after overcoming homelessness and securing stable housing. This car will allow him to visit his family more often.

The event took place at Heritage Toyota Owings Mills, 9801 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, MD 21117.

About MileOneCares
In 2022, MileOne Autogroup launched MileOneCares, its corporate giving program encompassing all philanthropic efforts across the company’s franchises in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware and North Carolina as part of its Hall, Heritage, Herb Gordon, Annapolis and MotorWorld divisions. Since MileOne’s founding in 1997, the company has donated funds, volunteer hours and vehicles to hundreds of nonprofit organizations throughout the communities where its employees work and live. Under MileOneCares, the company primarily focuses its philanthropic outreach on transportation-related initiatives including its partnerships with DRIVE SMART in support of its Distracted Driving program in Maryland and Virginia, and ShareBaby, providing car seats to families in need. MileOneCares also supports the company’s 4,000 employees through the NextMile Scholarship Program; the MileOne Support Fund, which provides financial assistance in times of disaster or emergency hardship; in addition to an employee-nominated grant program, in which employees can apply for funds to support causes to which they are personally connected. For more information on the program, visit www.mileonecares.com.

About MileOne Autogroup
MileOne Autogroup represents 66 franchises with 22 automotive brands along with 49 Service Centers in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware, and North Carolina. The MileOne Autogroup model provides for all of the automotive needs of its customers conveniently, on their own terms. MileOne Autogroup is the largest automotive sales and service delivery network in the Mid-Atlantic area. For more information on MileOne, visit www.mileone.com.

About Vehicles for Change (VFC)
VFC is an innovative nonprofit organization that accepts and repairs donated cars and provides reliable transportation to worthy families while offering valuable automotive technician training to those in need. Since 1999, VFC has awarded more than 8,000 vehicles, empowering more than 28,000 individuals to achieve economic and personal independence. Cars are awarded at a low cost to qualified individuals who apply through social service partnering agencies. Through the Full Circle Auto Repair and Training Center, VFC works with justice involved and unemployed individuals, trains them to become Automotive mechanics through Virtual Reality and hands on training, and places them in meaningful employment opportunities. VFC’s Full Circle Auto Repair and Training Center is a full-service automotive garage—a social enterprise that funds the mission of the organization. For additional information about Vehicles for Change, or to donate a vehicle, visit www.vehiclesforchange.org or call 410-242-9674.

You can view the program (via Facebook Live) at https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17f899bzGr/.

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