By Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – On a cold, rainy December day NASCAR Ford drivers Hailie Deegan and Joey Logano brought smiles to numerous people, delivering 350 hams to needy North Carolina families for their holiday dinners. 

Working through the Joey Logano Foundation, “Hailie’s Holiday Haul” began Wednesday in Statesville, N.C., where the duo dropped off 200 hams at the Children’s Hope Alliance headquarters. They then headed to Huntersville in a Ford F-150 to deliver 150 hams to Caterpillar Ministries and the Huntington Green neighborhood.   

“Ford and Joey sought out what would be good for around here since I’m new to the Charlotte area,” Deegan said in regards to how the groups were chosen. “I think they had a good concept of what they wanted to do.”

 The ham delivery occurred just a month after Deegan helped more than 250 needy Detroit families by delivering turkeys to them for Thanksgiving. Participation in such an event was a first for Deegan, who told Ford she wanted to become more involved in charitable activities.  

 Logano pointed to his wife Brittany as playing a key role in his Foundation’s work. 

“She is the one who has the biggest heart of any of us,” Logano said. “She has helped push me along doing a lot of this stuff from behind the scenes. I feel bad a lot of times because I’m the face of the thing and she’s doing most of the work.” 

 The NASCAR champion believes that in the last two years his Foundation has really found where “our heart wants to help the most.”  

“There is a true hunger issue in our country,” Logano said. “For us, living in our everyday world, you start caring about just your own life. Sometimes you have to take a step back and say there are a lot bigger issues out there than trying to find a half a tenth of speed. 

“God has given me this amazing opportunity to drive race cars and I have this amazing platform and not using it is the biggest waste ever. I think that would be the thing that I would regret the most sitting on my death bed one day would be did I take advantage of what was really here. I think we’re doing a good job of that right now.”

Logano noted the Foundation’s mission was to give second chances to children and young adults in times of crises.

“We want to help transition them into becoming a contributing member of society,” Logano continued. “We want to help break the cycle. I had all the opportunities in the world to find my talent and work on my talent. There isn’t that opportunity for everybody and that’s really sad. We work with organizations that really are able to find that and give them tools and resources to graduate high school, go to work, and have a stable income. Not making the wrong decisions when you’re put in a bind. It’s not about giving somebody something. That doesn’t fix the root of the issue that’s there. You have to invest in the person, their mental side of things. That’s what these organizations do best.”

Children’s Hope Alliance transforms the lives of children, youth and families by focusing on three main areas: a safe home through foster care and adoption programs; a healthy start through educational, prevention and developmental programs; and healing the hurt for children and families who are troubled, abused or neglected through therapy and counseling.

Caterpillar Ministries was started in 2007 as a partner with Huntersville’s Huntington Green neighborhood. The organization strives to support the well-being of families as well as nurture and strengthen homes. Programs for the neighborhood include fun for preschoolers, small groups for teens, along with ESL classes and job training for adults.

In addition to the hams, the Joey Logano Foundation donated 5,000 Ford facemasks to Children’s Hope Alliance in collaboration with the Ford Motor Company Fund, which will distribute a total of 27,000 face coverings in the weeks ahead. It’s part of Ford and the Ford Fund’s 100 million mask donation to communities and nonprofits across the United States.

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