PitStop Car Wash tops goal, raises nearly $11,000 for ALS nonprofit

PitStop Car Wash raised nearly $11,000 for Team Gleason, a nonprofit that supports people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), through a single-day fundraiser in which participating locations donated proceeds from every wash. The effort, held Saturday, Aug. 15, surpassed the company's $10,000 goal, according to reporting from Professional Carwashing & Detailing.

The cause was personal for Missy Gore, general manager of the Addis, Louisiana, PitStop location. Gore's mother died of ALS in 2024, and her family leaned on Team Gleason for guidance on wheelchairs, caregivers, doctors and other resources as the disease progressed. PitStop is part of the Mojo Family of Brands.

A personal cause behind the drive

Gore said one of the most meaningful forms of support was help banking her mother's voice before she lost the ability to speak, which later allowed her mother to communicate through eye-tracking technology in her own voice. "Team Gleason was there for my family during one of the most difficult times in our lives," Gore said.

Terry Emerson, CEO of Mojo Family of Brands, framed the drive as a tribute rather than simply a dollar target. He said the fundraiser aimed to honor Gore's mother and help other families access similar resources. Savanna Cranfield, events and development associate at Team Gleason, said the money will help the organization continue providing people living with ALS access to technology, equipment, support services and experiences meant to improve quality of life.

How the model worked

Rather than a standalone charity wash event, PitStop tied the fundraiser to normal operations by dedicating a full day's wash proceeds across participating sites to the cause. That structure lets a multi-site operator scale a donation quickly without building a separate event, and it converts everyday transactions into contributions that customers can feel good about supporting.

Why it matters for operators

Community fundraisers remain one of the most accessible marketing and reputation tools available to car wash operators, and PitStop's approach shows how to run one at scale. By pledging proceeds from every wash on a single day across multiple locations, the company generated meaningful money for a cause while driving traffic and giving customers a clear reason to visit. The single-day, proceeds-based format is straightforward to communicate and easy for staff to execute during normal shifts.

The strongest element here is authenticity. The drive grew out of a general manager's direct experience, which gives the campaign a credible story that resonates with employees and customers alike. Operators considering similar efforts can look for causes with genuine ties to their teams or communities, set a clear public goal to create momentum, and choose a beneficiary whose mission connects to the local market. A well-defined target, like PitStop's $10,000 goal, also creates a natural news hook when the campaign exceeds it.

Done well, these initiatives build loyalty, strengthen team morale, and generate local media and social attention that ordinary advertising rarely matches. The key is pairing a simple mechanic, such as donating a day of proceeds, with a story customers care about.