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Press release

400 Nonprofits Across 14 States Could Benefit From Donated Tires in New Program

‘Les Schwab Tires for Purpose’ Spans Company’s Operations

February 18, 2025

Bend, OR — Les Schwab Tire Centers, one of the leading independent tire dealers in the United States, is kicking off a broad effort to advance community services by donating new sets of tires to nearly 400 nonprofit organizations in 14 states over the course of the year.

In addition to bolstering vehicle safety and reliability, donated tires help community organizations reduce maintenance costs, allowing them to allocate more funds toward vital programs. This support is especially critical for nonprofits that rely on transportation to deliver medical care, emergency aid or food services, or to provide mobility for youth and adults in their programs. Rising operational expenses continue to be a major hurdle for nonprofits—46% of U.S. nonprofits cited rising operating expenses as their biggest challenge in 2023, while 42% struggled with inadequate funding or resources. By providing essential resources like new tires, the Les Schwab Tires for Purpose program helps nonprofits stay on the road, ensuring they can continue serving their communities safely and reliably.

Partners in a 2024 Les Schwab Tires for Purpose pilot included Sioux Falls Thrive, which uses its mobile market to supply affordable food to food-insecure communities in South Dakota; Oregon Adaptive Sports, which builds access to outdoor recreation for people with disabilities; and Oregon’s Boys & Girls Club of Bend (BGCB), which turned the installation of the donated tires into a live demonstration for young club members as part of its #WorkforceWednesday program in October.

The new tires were installed on one of BGCB’s 16 Ford Transit vans, which are used to transport youth between the club’s two Bend-area locations and to take young people on year-round field trips.

“This donation from Les Schwab Tires benefits our kids in several ways,” BGCB CEO Bess Goggins said at the time. “The exposure to the benefits of an automotive career path is an excellent addition to our #WorkforceWednesday program, and the new tires will be a great help through the winter. Our vans are used daily, and safety is absolutely our priority.”

The Les Schwab Tires for Purpose program springs from Les Schwab’s commitment to strengthening and investing in communities, with a particular emphasis on supporting kids. In 2024 alone, Les Schwab Tires facilitated hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations of funds, toys, food, clothing and other supplies and services through its charitable activity across the Central and Western United States. Les Schwab invites nonprofits that are making a positive difference to apply to receive a donation of a set of tires, helping them safely continue their important work.

“We are excited to bring the Les Schwab Tires for Purpose program to many more of the communities where we work, live and play,” said Les Schwab Chief Marketing Officer Greg Waring. “This is a great way for us to help our community organizations stay on the road and do more good.”

The first 2025 Les Schwab Tires for Purpose partners will be identified in March, with installations happening continuously across the West and Upper Midwest into the fall.

To learn more about the program and to apply, visit https://www.lesschwab.com/tiresforpurpose.

More information about Les Schwab’s commitment to helping its neighbors can be found on its website at https://www.lesschwab.com/community-news.

 

About Les Schwab

Les Schwab Tire Centers (www.lesschwab.com) is one of the leading independent tire dealers in the United States, with more than 8,600 employees and more than 585 locations across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Alaska, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and New Mexico. In every market, Les Schwab takes pride in doing the right thing − staying focused on providing superior value and building customers for life. The first Les Schwab stores were opened in small towns and rural communities with one guiding principle: provide our neighbors with high-quality products and unparalleled customer service. This single-minded focus on service continues today.