- Dell Children’s Foundation, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Best Buddies in Texas each received a grant from Speedway Children’s Charities to benefit 1,325 children in need in the Austin, Texas community.
- Funds were raised during the March 2024 NASCAR weekend at Circuit of The Americas.
- Learn more about Speedway Children’s Charities at SpeedwayCharities.org.
AUSTIN, Texas (Dec. 18, 2024) – Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC), the official charity of Speedway Motorsports, has distributed $25,000 through three grants to Dell Children’s Foundation, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Best Buddies in Texas. The $25,000 will serve 1,325 children in need in the Austin area.
“We are thrilled to be able to help three different children’s organizations this year,” said Speedway Children’s Charities Texas Chapter Executive Director Marissa Chaney. “Race fans are incredibly generous, and we’re looking forward to raising even more money in just a couple months when NASCAR returns to Circuit of The Americas.”
DELL CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION
Funds will support Dell Children’s Mental Health Family Fund for uninsured children who have been victims of trafficking, homelessness or battling terminal illness.
“We are grateful to Speedway Children’s Charities for their continued support of Dell Children’s,” said Dell Children’s Foundation Senior Director of Pediatric Grants and Development Jenn Davis, GPC. “The most recent grant to our Mental Health Program enables our hospital to provide comprehensive, holistic and family-centered care for children and adolescents facing mental health crises. We are honored to be partners with Speedway Children’s Charities in our shared mission of serving our community’s children.”
SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE
The Austin Chapter partners with local organizations, churches, businesses and community members to build, deliver and assemble fully furnished beds – frames, mattresses, sheets, pillows and blankets – to children living in poverty who do not have one or whose families have just overcome homelessness. Chapter leadership shows volunteers how to take a pile of wood and construct twin bed frame components with drills, sanders and saws.
“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Speedway Children’s Charities,” said Sleep in Heavenly Peace Austin Chapter President Steve Gielda. “This financial donation will enable us to put 40 kids in brand new beds, giving them a better night’s sleep that will help them to become happier, healthier young kids that grow into better students and better sons and daughters while teaching them the importance of leaning on their local community to support one another.”
BEST BUDDIES IN TEXAS
BB Friendship Programs build one-on-one friendships between students with and without intellectual or developmental disabilities, offering social interactions while improving the quality of life for a population that is often isolated and excluded. Their goals are to increase opportunities for socialization and inclusion of students with intellectual or developmental disabilities, develop critical social skills in all students and increase awareness of the abilities of all children with intellectual or developmental disabilities in schools.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this grant from Speedway Children’s Charities in support of our friendship programs here in Central Texas,” said Best Buddies International Central Texas Area Director Morgan Ilika. “Everyone deserves a friend, and with partners like Speedway Children’s Charities, we are able to offer increased opportunities to alleviate the social isolation of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Best Buddies does this by creating one-to-one friendships and cultivating the leaders of tomorrow through shared experiences of inclusion.”
The grants resulted from donations received during the fourth annual NASCAR weekend at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in March 2024. Race fans who attended NASCAR at COTA took part in fundraising opportunities and events including:
- Laps for Charity: Race fans experienced driving their own vehicle around the 3.41-mile, 20-turn permanent road course behind an official NASCAR at COTA Toyota pace car.
- Live Auction: Race fans bid on unique experiences and autographed memorabilia during the Friday night THOR Family of Companies Camper Appreciation Party.
- Fan Assistance Golf Carts: Donations were accepted as the golf carts escorted race fans all over COTA property.
Donations can be made any time at SpeedwayCharities.org/Donate/#COTA.
There are 11 SCC chapters around the country, and combined in 2024, SCC distributed more than $4 million in grants to hundreds of different charitable organizations across the country, bringing the total funds distributed since 1982 to more than $72.6 million, ensuring many children in need are given the tools to build a better, brighter and healthier future. The money raised comes in large part thanks to the fundraising efforts of 11 Speedway Motorsports facilities and events: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, NASCAR at COTA, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.
Tickets:
Tickets for children ages 12 and under are just $10 for the March 2, 2025 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series race and free for the March 1, 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 and IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. For individual tickets, weekend packages and camping, fans can visit NASCARatCOTA.com.
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About Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC)
The mission of Speedway Children’s Charities is to care for children with educational, financial, social and medical needs to help them lead productive lives. Founded by Bruton Smith in 1982, Speedway Children’s Charities is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing funding for hundreds of non-profit organizations that meet the direct needs of children. Speedway Children’s Charities has distributed more than $72.6 million in grants. The goal is to ensure that every child in need be given the tools to build a better, brighter and healthier future.
