How the Expo Gives Back to Our Community

A show with a mission

The NC International Auto Expo is organized by the Wake County New Vehicle Dealers Association, a group of local dealers who care about the communities where they live and work. While the show helps people discover new vehicles, it also serves as a way to give something back.

Over the last five years, the Expo has donated more than $150,000 to the organizations listed on the Charities page. That generosity is possible because thousands of visitors attend each year, and because the dealers and partners behind the show choose to support their neighbors.

This mission shapes how the Expo is run. Every ticket, every visit and every partnership becomes part of a larger story of community support.

Who benefits from the Expo

The list of beneficiaries is long and varied. It includes youth organizations such as the Alexander Family YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club of Wake County and Wilder’s Grove Youth Center. It includes health groups such as the Colon Cancer Coalition, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Hospice of Wake County.

Public safety and community service groups are also supported, including the Raleigh Police Department, the Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation, the Wake County Sheriff’s Life Saver program and the Wake County F.O.P. Shop with a Cop program. Education is represented through Wake County Public Schools, the Wake Technical CC Foundation and Wakefield High School PTSA.

Each organization works in its own way, but all of them make life better for people in our area.

Supporting children and young people

Many of the groups helped by the Expo focus on children and teenagers. Make-a-Wish Foundation of ENC brings joy to children with serious illness. Kids on Guard, SafeChild and NC Children’s Promise work to protect and support young people.

Programs such as the Alexander Family YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club and Wilder’s Grove Youth Center give children safe places to learn, play and grow. Support from the Expo helps these places offer activities, mentors and a sense of belonging.

Investing in young people has lasting effects. Safe, supportive environments help children develop confidence and skills that stay with them for life.

Health, research and care

Serious illness affects families in every community. The Expo supports organizations that fund research, provide care and offer comfort. The Colon Cancer Coalition and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society work toward better treatment and support for patients.

The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness helps advance understanding of mental health conditions, while Hospice of Wake County provides compassionate end-of-life care. These organizations help families through some of life’s hardest moments.

Donations make a real difference to groups like these, which often rely on community generosity to continue their work.

Safety, service and recovery

Several beneficiaries focus on safety and service. MADD works to prevent impaired driving and support victims, which is a cause closely connected to the world of vehicles. The Police Unity Tour honors officers, and the Raleigh Police Department and its partners help keep neighborhoods safe.

The Salvation Army, Southlight and the Women’s Center of Wake County support people facing hardship, recovery and difficult life changes. Helping Hand Mission and Community Partnership aid neighbors who need practical assistance.

Together, these groups form a network of care. The Expo is proud to help strengthen it.

Education and opportunity

Education opens doors, and the Expo supports it in several ways. Wake County Public Schools, Wakefield High School PTSA, the Wake Technical CC Foundation and the NC Agriculture Foundation Scholarship all help students and learners.

Support might go toward school programs, scholarships or community projects. Each contribution helps young people and adults gain the skills they need for the future.

Wheels4Hope, which connects vehicles with people in need of transportation, is another example of how the automotive world can support opportunity. Reliable transportation can change someone’s ability to work and care for their family.

How your visit helps

When you buy a ticket and attend the show, you become part of the effort. Admission is affordable, with adults paying $6, guests over 60 paying $5 and ages 6 to 12 paying $4, and children under 6 free. Each visit supports the show that supports the community.

You can also help by spreading the word, bringing friends and family and thanking the dealers and exhibitors who take part. Their support makes the event, and the charitable giving, possible.

If you work with a local group and want to learn more about the Expo’s charitable work, you can send a question to [email protected].

The power of working together

No single organization can solve every community need. The strength of the Expo’s giving comes from collaboration, with dealers, visitors, exhibitors and charities all playing a role. Each group contributes something different, and together they create a result that is larger than any one effort.

When dealers join forces through the Wake County New Vehicle Dealers Association, they can direct support where it is needed most. Charities, in turn, use those funds to deliver programs, services and care directly to people.

Visitors complete the circle. By attending the show, they help make the event successful and keep the cycle of giving alive.

What donations make possible

It is easy to see a large number such as $150,000 and forget what it means in practice. A donation can help a child attend a program, fund research, provide a meal, support a family during illness or give an officer needed training.

Small, steady support often matters more than occasional large gifts, because charities can plan around reliable help. Five years of giving gives these organizations confidence to build lasting programs.

Behind every organization on the list are people whose lives have been touched. The Expo is honored to be part of that work.

Ways to get involved beyond the show

If the Expo inspires you, consider supporting the causes in your own way. You could volunteer time, share information, donate goods or simply attend local events hosted by the charities. Even small actions can make a real difference.

You might choose a group that matches your interests. Parents may feel drawn to youth programs, while others may prefer health, education or public safety organizations. Starting with something personal makes giving more meaningful.

If you would like to ask about the Expo’s charitable work, you can email [email protected]. The team is glad to share information about how the show supports the community.

Stories behind the numbers

Every organization on the list has people who depend on it. A child who finds a mentor at a youth center, a patient who receives hospice care, a family helped by a community mission and a student who earns a scholarship are all part of the story.

These individual moments are why giving matters. Numbers are useful for showing scale, but the real value is found in lives that are improved. When visitors attend the Expo, they help make more of those moments possible.

Giving back as a tradition

Community giving is not a single moment. It is a tradition that grows over time. The Expo has donated over $150,000 across five years, and each year the Wake County New Vehicle Dealers Association is proud to continue.

That tradition teaches an important lesson: businesses are strongest when they are part of the community. Dealers, exhibitors and visitors all share responsibility for helping those in need.

As the Expo continues, the hope is to keep supporting organizations that make a difference. Visitors who enjoy the show can feel good knowing that the fun also does good.