Oil Changes Turned Into Aid: Sun Auto Tire & Service Raises $20,000 for Tunnel to Towers on Giving Tuesday

Sun Auto turns routine oil changes into a Giving Tuesday win

Sun Auto Tire & Service announced it raised $20,000 for Tunnel to Towers on Giving Tuesday through a simple idea: asking customers to add a donation when they came in for an oil change. The company said the campaign ran at participating service centers and drew broad customer participation on and around the Giving Tuesday date, with the entire amount handed over to the Tunnel to Towers organization on December 11, 2025. The effort was presented as a partnership with Tunnel to Towers, the national nonprofit that helps wounded veterans, fallen first respondersand their families.

For many customers, the ask was small and immediate: a dollar or a few dollars added to their bill at checkout. For the charity, that modest request multiplied into a meaningful sum. Sun Auto framed the drive as a way to make everyday car care into an act of giving, turning a routine visit into a chance to help people who served the country.

How the oil-change push worked and who chipped in

The campaign was built around oil changes at Sun Auto locations. Customers were invited to add a donation at the time of service, and the company matched a portion of the proceeds to help hit the target. The promotion ran at participating centers on Giving Tuesday and in the surrounding days to give more customers a chance to take part. Staff at the service desks collected the donations, tracked totals, and coordinated the company match before delivering the combined amount to Tunnel to Towers.

Sun Auto said the promotion was easy for customers to join: no special code, no extra appointment, just a small option offered during a normal visit. The company emphasized that the model — modest customer contributions amplified by a company match — helped the campaign reach five figures quickly. Sun Auto also used in-store signage and staff reminders to boost awareness during the drive.

What Tunnel to Towers does and why $20,000 matters

Tunnel to Towers is best known for providing mortgage-free homes to the families of first responders killed in the line of duty and to severely injured veterans. The group also funds home modifications for wounded veterans, emergency grants, and a range of programs aimed at easing the financial and practical burdens that follow service-related injury or loss.

Twenty thousand dollars is not enough to fund a full mortgage-free home on its own, but it is a meaningful contribution. Money of this size can cover specialized adaptations for a single veteransuch as ramps or accessible bathroomsor serve as part of a larger pool used to furnish homes, pay immediate support grants, or help with short-term needs for multiple families. For charities that rely on many small donors and corporate partners, sums like this multiply across programs and help sustain the services they provide.

Company response and local reaction to the drive

Sun Auto described the campaign as part of its wider community work, saying the company wants to use its everyday customer touchpoints to support causes that resonate locally and nationally. A company spokesperson highlighted the ease of the program and thanked customers who chose to contribute while getting routine service. Tunnel to Towers acknowledged the donation and expressed appreciation for the grassroots style of the drivesmall acts by many people adding up to a sizeable gift.

Customers and local community members responded positively, according to feedback shared by the company. Staff at participating shops reported that many customers welcomed the chance to help; several noted that people treated the donation as a way to give back without a big commitment of time or money. The campaign also served as local public-relations goodwill, reinforcing Sun Auto’s profile as a neighborhood business that pitches in when a national charity needs support.

Where the effort goes from here and other ways to help

The specific oil-change promotion wrapped with the Giving Tuesday drive, but Sun Auto indicated it plans more community-focused initiatives in the year ahead. Customers who missed the drive can still support Tunnel to Towers through the charity’s regular donation channels, volunteer events, or by taking part in other partner campaigns when they appear.

For readers who want to help locally, organizations like Tunnel to Towers typically welcome one-time gifts, recurring donations, and volunteer time for events. Local garages and small businesses often run similar short campaigns around holidays or national giving days, so keeping an eye on neighborhood service centers can reveal more low-effort ways to give back.

Sources

• prnewswire.com