The sale of two iconic Ford sports cars at the 47th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona last week has raised $2.85 million USD ($3.55 CAD) million for charity.
The first car, a 2017 Ford GT, was donated by businessman Ron Pratte to the Evernham Family-Racing for a Reason Foundation. It sold for $2.5 million USD ($3.12MCAD) with proceeds going towards the Autism Society of North Carolina's Ignite program.
Ignite is a peer-to-peer community center for young adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome offering things like skills training and educational workshops that foster social, financial, educational, and employment independence for members.
"I would like to thank Ron Pratte for his generous donation and Barrett-Jackson and Ford Motor Company for the opportunity," Ray Evernham said in a statement.
The first car, a 2017 Ford GT, was donated by businessman Ron Pratte to the Evernham Family-Racing for a Reason Foundation. It sold for $2.5 million USD ($3.12MCAD) with proceeds going towards the Autism Society of North Carolina's Ignite program.
Ignite is a peer-to-peer community center for young adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome offering things like skills training and educational workshops that foster social, financial, educational, and employment independence for members.
"I would like to thank Ron Pratte for his generous donation and Barrett-Jackson and Ford Motor Company for the opportunity," Ray Evernham said in a statement.
"My son, Ray J, has Asperger’s Syndrome and at 26, he is fortunate to have benefited from Ignite and to have strong family support. However, many of his peers do not. These young adults may be the next Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., or person who cures cancer but we will never know if they don’t get the help they so desperately need. Ignite is a program that I started to meet this significant gap in support for young adults. We named the program Ignite hoping it would be the spark to create more of these programs around the country. This donation very well could be what we have needed to make that happen."
The second car that made charitable waves was the sale of a 2019 Mustang Bullitt with a VIN 001, which sold for $300,000 USD ($374,000 CAD) to benefit Boys Republic.
The vehicle, which was patterned after the iconic Ford Mustang driven by actor Steve McQueen in the 1968 car chase thriller Bullitt, has a close-to-the-heart connection for the McQueen family.
First, the car was actually driven on to the Barrett-Jackson by Chad McQueen, the son of the late actor. Secondly, proceeds from the sale of the vehicle will go towards Boys Republic, a program for troubled teenagers that Steve McQueen graduated from in 1946.
Started in California in 1907, the program has helped more than 30,000 at-risk teenage boys and girls over the years. The non-profit and non-sectarian program helps youth with behavioral, educational and emotional difficulties learn how to "achieve their maximum potential for responsible, self-directed life within the community."
"I couldn’t think of a better way to honor the Bullitt’s heritage than donating the car to Boys Republic, which was instrumental in helping Steve McQueen become an iconic, Hollywood legend," said Mark Schaller, Mustang brand manager at Ford Motor Company.
Air Jordan III (3) Black/Cement 2011The second car that made charitable waves was the sale of a 2019 Mustang Bullitt with a VIN 001, which sold for $300,000 USD ($374,000 CAD) to benefit Boys Republic.
The vehicle, which was patterned after the iconic Ford Mustang driven by actor Steve McQueen in the 1968 car chase thriller Bullitt, has a close-to-the-heart connection for the McQueen family.
First, the car was actually driven on to the Barrett-Jackson by Chad McQueen, the son of the late actor. Secondly, proceeds from the sale of the vehicle will go towards Boys Republic, a program for troubled teenagers that Steve McQueen graduated from in 1946.
Started in California in 1907, the program has helped more than 30,000 at-risk teenage boys and girls over the years. The non-profit and non-sectarian program helps youth with behavioral, educational and emotional difficulties learn how to "achieve their maximum potential for responsible, self-directed life within the community."
"I couldn’t think of a better way to honor the Bullitt’s heritage than donating the car to Boys Republic, which was instrumental in helping Steve McQueen become an iconic, Hollywood legend," said Mark Schaller, Mustang brand manager at Ford Motor Company.