Employees step outside the store, step up to aid their communities

Employees at stores on Automotive News' 2023 Best Dealerships To Work For list contribute time and effort not only to selling and servicing vehicles, but also to lending a hand in their respective communities.

From participating in Earth Day initiatives to volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, employees working at the country's Best Dealerships To Work For can engage in community service during business hours without concern of losing pay or using vacation time.

Team members at Suburban Subaru of Troy in Michigan, for instance, had a hand in a variety of charitable endeavors this year. General Manager Dustin Ciccarelli gave two examples: planting trees at an elementary school for Earth Day, which supported parent company Lithia Motors Inc.'s environmental initiatives, and giving supplies and blankets to a hospital for children with leukemia.

Many dealerships on the list said their employees carve out time to work at food banks or animal shelters, or on food drives. In addition to working on Habitat for Humanity builds, employees at Audi Fairfield in Connecticut participate in an annual Thanksgiving drive with Bridgeport Rescue Mission in Connecticut.

"We spend the day packing up bags of Thanksgiving Day foods and all the fixings," General Manager David Uva said. "Families in need drive through in the afternoon to pick up a bag to prepare for their meal. It is a long and usually cold day, but it is well worth it."