Written By: Ryan Musich
NASCAR has always been known for its dedicated fan base, exciting races, fast cars and rich tradition, but what you don’t see on the surface, is what NASCAR does off the track to impact the world. NASCAR has its own charity called the NASCAR Foundation and 21 NASCAR drivers also have their own respective charities. Along with its self-titled foundation, NASCAR also has The Betty Jane France Foundation.
The Betty Jane France Foundation works to highlight people within the NASCAR community that do extraordinary community service. It all culminates with the Betty Jane France award in 100,000 in donations to a foundation within the community. Along with their foundation, NASCAR also awards the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, which was launched in 2011.
Founded in 2006, The NASCAR Foundation uses its large resources of drivers and diverse communities to help impact those communities through a multitude of efforts. Such as donations and building new areas for growth. They also deal with the climate change and help bring an awareness to the NASCAR GREEN project. These efforts have given those 21 drivers a basis that led to them creating their own foundations and organizations. Drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch have used the NASCAR foundation to help launch their foundations.
Though some drivers have a huge impact on NASCAR on the track, some have even a larger impact off the track. For instance, Jeff Gordon is known as one of the greatest drivers ever to get behind the wheel of a racecar, but Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation has grown into an organization that has raised more than $15 million for children's health organizations since its establishment 16 years ago. In 2011, the foundation extended efforts globally to bring pediatric cancer care to Rwanda, Africa. The mission of the foundation is to support children battling cancer by funding programs that improve patients’ quality of life, treatment programs that increase survivorship and pediatric medical research dedicated to finding cures for diseases. In addition, the foundation also provides support to the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital in Concord, North Carolina, which serves children in the community by providing a high level of primary and specialty care, regardless of their ability to pay.
Another driver that people may know for his accomplishments on the track but has had a huge impact in the community is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr’s foundation was established in 2007 and has raised $4.2 million for charitable causes and granted more than 230 Wishes to people through Jr.'s partnership with the Make A Wish Foundation. Jr.'s foundation is a charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals, with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence, education and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. The 'Win Dale Jr.’s Ride' charity raffle has given away cars the past five years. This year, the foundation started the 'Driven to Give Gloves' program where Earnhardt Jr. wears a different color of gloves each month to raise money for a different charity.
The Kyle Busch Foundation (KBF) supports various charities across the U.S. Some of his signature events include a prom dress drive and match program and Christmas wish list fulfillment for underprivileged children across the country. In 2013, the Kyle Busch Foundation expanded its efforts to fundraise for the Pretty In Pink Foundation, which pays for the medical costs of men and women with breast cancer, who are either uninsured, or under-insured. The KBF found works in synergy with Pretty In Pink because staggering medical costs can take away from families abilities to cover all of their expenses, which can directly affect children’s day-to-day needs.
It’s easy to see how great NASCAR is every race weekend, but it’s what is going on behind the scenes with the drivers that is really impactful. NASCAR is quickly establishing itself as one of the leaders in charity work in the professional sports associations in North America and it will continue to grow and impact people’s lives.
The Betty Jane France Foundation works to highlight people within the NASCAR community that do extraordinary community service. It all culminates with the Betty Jane France award in 100,000 in donations to a foundation within the community. Along with their foundation, NASCAR also awards the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, which was launched in 2011.
Founded in 2006, The NASCAR Foundation uses its large resources of drivers and diverse communities to help impact those communities through a multitude of efforts. Such as donations and building new areas for growth. They also deal with the climate change and help bring an awareness to the NASCAR GREEN project. These efforts have given those 21 drivers a basis that led to them creating their own foundations and organizations. Drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch have used the NASCAR foundation to help launch their foundations.
Though some drivers have a huge impact on NASCAR on the track, some have even a larger impact off the track. For instance, Jeff Gordon is known as one of the greatest drivers ever to get behind the wheel of a racecar, but Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation has grown into an organization that has raised more than $15 million for children's health organizations since its establishment 16 years ago. In 2011, the foundation extended efforts globally to bring pediatric cancer care to Rwanda, Africa. The mission of the foundation is to support children battling cancer by funding programs that improve patients’ quality of life, treatment programs that increase survivorship and pediatric medical research dedicated to finding cures for diseases. In addition, the foundation also provides support to the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital in Concord, North Carolina, which serves children in the community by providing a high level of primary and specialty care, regardless of their ability to pay.
Another driver that people may know for his accomplishments on the track but has had a huge impact in the community is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr’s foundation was established in 2007 and has raised $4.2 million for charitable causes and granted more than 230 Wishes to people through Jr.'s partnership with the Make A Wish Foundation. Jr.'s foundation is a charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals, with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence, education and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. The 'Win Dale Jr.’s Ride' charity raffle has given away cars the past five years. This year, the foundation started the 'Driven to Give Gloves' program where Earnhardt Jr. wears a different color of gloves each month to raise money for a different charity.
The Kyle Busch Foundation (KBF) supports various charities across the U.S. Some of his signature events include a prom dress drive and match program and Christmas wish list fulfillment for underprivileged children across the country. In 2013, the Kyle Busch Foundation expanded its efforts to fundraise for the Pretty In Pink Foundation, which pays for the medical costs of men and women with breast cancer, who are either uninsured, or under-insured. The KBF found works in synergy with Pretty In Pink because staggering medical costs can take away from families abilities to cover all of their expenses, which can directly affect children’s day-to-day needs.
It’s easy to see how great NASCAR is every race weekend, but it’s what is going on behind the scenes with the drivers that is really impactful. NASCAR is quickly establishing itself as one of the leaders in charity work in the professional sports associations in North America and it will continue to grow and impact people’s lives.