Story By: ANNE FORNORO / AJ FOYT RACING – BELOIT, WI – Picture it: Memorial Day weekend. The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. The roar when drivers are summoned to “start your engines.” The blur of a red, white and blue, stars-and-stripes livery speeding around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This year’s 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge isn’t just an opportunity to unite nearly five million race fans around the country; it’s a chance to come together to spotlight and support our nation’s most deserving heroes.
Leading up to the race during the month of May — which also happens to be Military Appreciation Month — ABC Supply and AJ Foyt Racing, one of the most iconic names in motorsports, are teaming up to raise $4 million to support Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) — and need your help to reach this goal. ABC Supply will match the first $1 million in donations made to Homes For Our Troops through May 31. Donations can be made at hfotusa.org/donate.
“We are grateful and honored that ABC Supply has chosen to spotlight Homes For Our Troops for another year during the 2024 Indy 500,” said HFOT President and CEO, Brigadier General (Ret) Tom Landwermeyer. “Their generous $1 million match furthers our mission of Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives and enables us to get even more severely injured post-9/11 Veterans and their families into the specially adapted custom homes they need and deserve.”
As one of the top-rated Veterans charities, HFOT ensures nearly 90 cents of every dollar spent goes directly toward program services for Veterans, so supporters can be sure that they’re making a real difference in the lives of Veterans. This year, Homes For Our Troops is celebrating its 20th anniversary and has built and donated 379 specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans nationwide. Last year, ABC Supply helped raise more than $3 million, and this year, they are pushing the pedal to the metal to raise an additional $4 million to serve even more Veterans who are waiting for these homes.
Santino Ferrucci will be back behind the wheel of the No. 14 Chevrolet on Sunday, May 26, after a thrilling third-place finish in last year’s Indy 500.
“We are proud to be carrying the beautiful patriotic livery for Homes For Our Troops and ABC Supply on the No. 14 Chevrolet in this year’s Indianapolis 500. Finishing third last year has set the bar high for us, but we believe the team and Santino Ferrucci will be challenging for the win again,” shared Larry Foyt, president of A.J. Foyt Enterprises. “It is exciting to be part of this campaign to raise awareness and funds to support Homes For Our Troops, which has made such a positive difference in the lives of America’s severely injured post-9/11 Veterans.”
“We’re honored to give back to the Veterans who have given so much and shine a light on the incredible mission of Homes For Our Troops this month and at the Indy 500,” says Mike Jost, chief operating officer of ABC Supply. “HFOT does so much for our nation’s Veterans, and we’re honored to support them with this fundraiser alongside our friends at AJ Foyt Racing.”
This year marks the third straight year that ABC Supply has spearheaded the Indy 500-based Homes For Our Troops fund-raising campaign which raised over $2 million the first year and over $3 million last year.