Through our Positive Stories link, Kristen Walker from the Coastal Auto Group in Massachusetts recently shared with us a magical charity that they support, and we just had to know more.
Thanks for reaching out to share your story with us, Kristen! Tell us a little about your role at the dealership and some of the community engagement that you participate in.
Our dealership is first generation. My husband and Tom Norton purchased a Nissan franchise about 22 years ago. We've since relocated that franchise to a larger facility and added a Volkswagen franchise and a collision center (Coastal Collision). We maintained the first facility as our pre-owned and service location (Coastal Auto Sales and Service). So, in total we have four locations across four towns on the south shore of Boston that are all under the "Coastal" umbrella.
We live and work in this community, so after many years of supporting lots of smaller organizations like Little League teams and dance clubs - which we still continue to do - we wanted to find some organizations that we felt passionate about to support more meaningfully. That's when I came across Wellspring. They have a full array of wraparound services to help people in need get back on their feet and restore them to self-sufficiency.
They cover a lot. For example, they run a food pantry for those with food insecurity and even deliver that food to people through a catering truck. They have a thrift shop for people to walk in and freely take what they need. They have vehicles, some of which we've helped them purchase, to drive people to and from medical appointments, job interviews, or things that they need to keep moving forward. They also offer free legal counseling and elder services. The staff connects people with resources available in the community, resources they may not realize they have access to, that would make things easier for them. Wellspring really offers a huge range of valuable services for people who have come on hard times.
The other thing that I love is their adult education program. They offer a high school diploma equivalency test so kids (or adults) can take it and walk out with a certificate. They also provide child care in the process, so if you have to take a class but have a child that needs to be watched, they can also provide for that.
It's just an amazing organization, so we've supported them in many ways. Whether it's vehicle purchases, fund-raising through our service departments, or even just me bringing truckloads of kids and my friends with bags of groceries to stuff their food pantry, we contribute in a lot of different ways.
Our largest contribution has been to donate a vehicle to be raffled off for each of the last three years. All the proceeds go to Wellspring. Over the three years we've done it, we've raised close to $90K.
It's not often that you find an organization that has so many services. Thanks to your help, it sounds like they're truly helping every single person in the community that needs it, and we love that.
It's hard to communicate everything Wellspring does because there is such a wide range of services. It is a unicorn. There aren't any organizations that are set up this way. Whenever somebody walks in with a challenge they haven’t seen, they think, "Maybe we should develop that ability." It has grown over time, and now they provide support at so many levels. It's a really special place.
It's amazing that they're developing as they go, actively asking themselves, "What does our community need?" and then finding a solution to solve that need.
Not only are they expanding the range of services they provide, they're also expanding the region and partnering with even more organizations to provide services to a larger population.
Their original location is isolated on a long, skinny peninsula in Hull. It's difficult for people to get there since it's not easily accessible by public transportation. So, two years ago, after demand skyrocketed during COVID, they opened a new location in Weymouth, closer to mainland highways and public transportation.
That’s impressive! Just to backtrack, tell me a little bit about your role at Coastal and how you got started in the industry. I'd love to hear more about your story in particular.
I met my husband, Richard, and our business partner, Tom, while working for Toyota Motor Sales at a Boston regional office . A few years later, my husband and Tom had an opportunity to purchase a Nissan dealership. They’ve since grown from the single Nissan dealership, adding Volkswagen, a collision center, and maintaining the original facility as a pre-owed and service location.
I operate as the Marketing Director. I handle customer-facing things such as the website, direct mail, digital marketing and manufacturer programs. I’m also involved in the philanthropy and charity organizations.
Are there any other community events that you participate in?
Oh, plenty! We host entrepreneur days where Wellspring students can come and see what it's like to work in a dealership. We have the managers take them through each department and talk to them about what they look for in an employee and what it takes to be successful. We've done that several times.
We get behind the annual Cohasset Road Race, presented by the Cohasset Rotary, where our original location is situated, and we provide the pace car every year. We support a lot of local golf tournaments and road races that assist churches or other organizations. One favorite is a paddle tennis tournament for the Cardinal Cushing Center, which supports adults with disabilities. We are a big sponsor of that one. There are so many great causes in the communities we serve.
It sounds like you've got too many to list!
We support just about everything we can, but the ones where we really try to make a significant contribution are Wellspring and the NVNA and Hospice House.
Have you had any successful stories from the student initiative?
Our big success story is that our Volkswagen Service Manager started as an intern through the local vocational school. We hired him after he graduated and he kept advancing. Now he's running the department! When we have new graduates from Wellspring visit, he's our star speaker.
We often hear that people didn't consider a career at a car dealership before they were actually in one. They didn't previously understand all the different roles you can play there and how people-oriented it is. Ultimately, a lot of great community work can come from it that really benefits everyone.
You're absolutely right. That was a big message for the student visitors - you don't have to know cars inside and out. You just need to be willing to solve problems and have a great attitude. You have to show up and be ready to learn. The rest can be taught, but we’re looking for someone willing to be a team player and put the customer first.
It's so inspiring to see how people can progress in this industry. What advice might you give someone new or looking for inspiration in the industry?
Keep your eyes open. Keep looking to learn every single day because the industry is changing fast. There are always new hiccups, whether a product or the economy, or financing. Still, if you keep showing up with an open mind and an eagerness to learn, it can be fun and exciting every single day.