In honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Midas held the largest Project Spark car donation in the company's history on Sept. 10, as shared in a press release.

In partnership with Advance Auto Parts and NAPA Auto Parts, and with vehicles donated through 1-800-Charity Cars and other charities, Midas franchisees and their teams donate the labor to provide Project Spark recipients with reliable vehicles. 

For this project, Nine Midas franchisees joined forces to donate cars to 11 recipients, many of whom had personal ties to 9/11. The group collectively owns and operates more than 280 Midas stores across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

The nine participating Midas franchisees included:

• Peter Fonseca of Fonseca Group
• Peter Cofrancisco of A&E Automanagement
• The Prenlyn Beers Group
• Hilda Zaidan, Midas of Paramus, NJ
• Sam Ayoubi of Auto Experts USA DBA Midas
• Tommy Miller of Midas Auto Service of Riverhead
• Steve Rizzi of Gold Crown
• Randy Lindhurst of Max Auto Supply ESOP
• Adam Genuario of AMG Enterprises dba Midas Tires and Auto Service

The eleven 9/11 Project Spark recipients included:

• Brian Ellerson, college student, grandfather was a 9/11 first responder
• Jaleesa Olson, a single mother of two
• Tabatha Foster, a nurse turned NYPD officer post-9/11 and single mother of three
• William Heerema, US Marine Corps Veteran, volunteer firefighter with the Paulsboro Volunteer Fire Department
• Anthony D'Andrea, Firefighter accepting on behalf of his teenage daughter, a HS honor student
• Jessica Sharo, a police dispatcher married to a Newark Firefighter, accepting on behalf of her teenage daughter
• Carla Caccavale, a public advocate for the families of fallen police officers whose own father was a NYPD officer who died in the line of duty, on behalf of her teenage son
• John Barnes, U.S. Veteran, Firefighter and Volunteer EMT
• Dominick Vallo, retired Jersey City firefighter who responded to Ground Zero on 9/11
• Heather Larson, on behalf of her teenage daughter, whose father is a volunteer firefighter who responded to Ground Zero after 9/11
• George Bowman, a volunteer firefighter, on behalf of his teenage daughter

"Project Spark is giving me so much more than a reliable vehicle—it's giving me freedom, independence, and the opportunity to keep moving forward," said Brian Ellerson, a recipient whose grandfather was a firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center on 9/11. "I've worked hard to get where I am today, from finding my voice as a child to earning my driver's license and becoming a college student. Thanks to Project Spark, I'll have a much easier time getting to my college classes, which will help me achieve the future I'm working towards."

Midas partnered with the First Responders Children's Foundation, Voices Center for Resilience, and the New Jersey State Firefighter's Association to identify the recipients. A giveaway ceremony was held Sept. 10 at Waterside Restaurant in North Bergen, New Jersey.

"Our Project Spark initiative has opened the door to new economic and mobility opportunities to individuals and families in need of accessible transportation options," said Lenny Valentino, Jr., President and COO of Midas International. "Today's donation event is even more meaningful given we're honoring and remembering the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Many of these recipients have personal ties to one of the darkest days in our country's history, and we're honored that Midas was able to bring a little light to each of their lives through a new vehicle."