BELFAST — Autos for Autism is a fundraiser held throughout the month of April, by the Mid-Coast Business Development Group and Coastal Auto Parts NAPA Stores. This year the businesses raised $20,000 and all proceeds will go to the Autism Society of Maine. The two groups will be presenting checks to the charitable organization on Friday, June 6 at 10 a.m. at BJ’s Automotive Diagnostic Center, 237 Northport Ave.
The Mid-Coast Business Development Group is a mixture of independently owned NAPA Auto Care Centers and NAPA Truck Care Centers located between Bangor, Warren and Ellsworth. The group meets quarterly to share ideas on improving their respected businesses as well as ways to give back to their respective communities. The members of the Business Development Group participating in this year’s event are BJ’s Automotive (Belfast), Copeland’s Garage (Warren), Eastern Tire (Rockland), Reardon’s Automotive (Bangor) Frost’s Garage (Hampden), Rawcliffe’s Service Center (Hampden) and K&B Automotive (Ellsworth). Each organization raised money in their own way, and collectively raised approximately $6,000.
Coastal Auto Parts owns 30 NAPA Auto Part Stores throughout Maine from Caribou to Gray and Machias to Bethel. The company is based out of Ellsworth. Coastal Auto Parts customers were asked to purchase paper logos representing the Auto for Autism Campaign. The donations ranged from $1 to $2,000. All and all Coastal Auto Parts NAPA was able to raise approximately $14,000.
In the last four years Autos for Autism has raised over $48,000 to help families in Maine dealing with Autism. This year’s donation will go to the Autism Society of Maine. The mission of the Autism Society of Maine is to provide education and resources to support the valued lives of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.
