Hoffman Estates, Ill. (January 4, 2023) –
Continuing its support of the collision industry in 2022, GEICO sponsored three Benchmark Grants through the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), with $5,000 being awarded to each school in an effort to help underfunded collision education programs elevate the caliber of training offered to ensure graduates are prepared to successfully begin their careers in the industry.
“GEICO has long focused on doing our part to make roads safer for everyone,” said D. Ryan West, Assistant Vice President, GEICO. “This donation will help young people build promising and important careers as repair professionals. We’re proud to support the great work CREF does.”
The schools that will benefit are:
- Career Center of Southern Illinois (Red Bud, IL)
- Area30 Career Center (Greencastle, IN)
- SUNY Morrisville (Morrisville, NY)
Eligibility for these awards was achieved by applying for the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s 2022 Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grant. The Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants recognize schools that excel at educating students in collision repair, but due to strained school budgets, the programs require additional financial assistance. Recipient schools use these funds to provide the tools, equipment and supplies necessary to enhance their students’ learning experience and elevate the caliber of their graduates, ensuring that graduates are prepared to successfully enter the workforce upon graduation. Applications for the 2023 Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants will be available online in Spring 2023.
Industry members interested in getting involved and supporting the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs can Contact Us to learn about the many ways to get involved. Monetary donations can be made online.
The Collision Repair Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting collision repair educational programs, schools, and students to create qualified, entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities. For information on how to donate to programs supported by the Education Foundation, visit us online at: www.CollisionEducationFoundation.org.
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If you would like more information about this topic or any of CREF’s initiatives, please email info@ed-foundation.org.