Gene Crozat’s Legacy of Giving

The late Gene Crozat of G&C Auto Body died in 2016, but his sons have taken his zeal for helping others to the next level, and giving cars to those in need is a big part of it.

The company has now presented more than 200 vehicles to deserving individuals and families within the last 20 years and the number keeps climbing.

On Dec. 16, seven deserving Sonoma, CA, area residents experienced a life-changing event thanks

The Crozat family has given away more than 200 cars to deserving families within the last 15 years. In this photo, Shawn Crozat talks to the crowd while his brother Pat looks on

to the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides® program, along with car donor GEICO, G&C Auto Body and automotive refinish coatings partner PPG.

The presentation was held at the Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds in the Garrett Building. More than 200 people were in attendance.

G&C Auto Body CEO Shawn Crozat is proud to continue his family’s legacy and knows his father would be smiling from ear-to-ear watching the presentations.

“Dad had a huge heart and wanted to help as many people as he could,” Crozat said. “He used to tell us that we are in a position to help others, and it’s a role we’re obligated to play. When you think about the fact that more than 200 people are driving vehicles around in the North Bay that they got through G&C, that is pretty amazing!”

Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the NABC, is ecstatic about what G&C has achieved through its philanthropy over the years.

“What an honor to be part of a tremendous event with an organization that provides such incredible support for the community,” he said. “To gift more than 200 cars to area residents in need is an amazing milestone, and to present seven in one day by G&C Auto Body is truly remarkable.”

The seven recipients of completely refurbished vehicles included Stephanie, a single mom to two young children, who received a 2014 Honda Civic. Her partner of 15 years recently and unexpectedly passed away.

Stephanie was in need of transportation to continue her journey of stabilization with her children after the loss of their father. Stephanie and her son are living in a transitional house as they actively look for a place to live.

She heard about the Crozat Family Foundation and its benevolent giving from a person who recently received a vehicle through the foundation.

Sue, a single mom, was presented with a 2016 Nissan Versa. She has been a single mom from the time her oldest was 3 years old. Now, she is the matriarch of a multigenerational household consisting of herself, her two adult daughters and her grandson.

She owns a 1996 Toyota 4Runner with 300,000 miles and a blown head gasket and relies on her youngest daughter to drive her to work and her oldest daughter’s boyfriend to pick her up. She has been trying to save for another vehicle, but this gift of transportation will help her be able to get to work and not rely on others.

Cheyanne, a mother of two, was gifted a 2017 Hyundai Sonata. She and two of her three children were living in Lake County, CA, when their house was deemed uninhabitable and they had to leave. They also had to leave behind their older model vehicle that had stopped running.

Cheyanne said they left that house with the clothes on their backs and a few other personal items. She will use this car to help get her and her sons to medical appointments, and her youngest to school.

Shannon, a mother of three, received a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. She and her kids lost the home they were renting to wildfires in 2017. They have been living with Shannon’s parents since, but the home environment has become unhealthy for everyone and she is currently looking for a new place to live.

Shannon had two older, unreliable vehicles, one of which was a 2006 Chevy Tahoe with 246,000 miles and was falling apart.

Shannon currently holds one full-time job and two part-time jobs to cover living expenses. The gift of transportation will allow her to manage her children’s schedule and get to her jobs.

Mike, a single dad, received a 2017 Toyota Camry. Since his separation, he has been trying to rebuild his life while keeping up with legal fees, fighting for his share of custody of the kids, working full time and juggling the kids’ extra-curricular activities.

He drives a used truck he is struggling to afford. He was in need of reliable transportation so he can comfortably sell the truck he has a payment on without relying on friends and family for rides to maintain his job and his children’s quality of life.

Eva received a 2017 Volkswagen Jetta and will be using it to make her life easier.

Clara, a mom of three, received a 2018 Nissan Altima. She and her husband, Kristopher, and their three children are a blended family trying to get by with a vehicle that has been overheating and is constantly breaking down.

She is working full time as a security guard at Graton Resort and Casino, while Kris has been staying home with their youngest son until he recovers from a recent surgery. Once all the follow-up doctor visits are completed, Kris will get back into the work force.

The new vehicle will allow them to more effectively manage family life, jobs and medical visits.

In addition to the vehicles, each recipient also received six months of full vehicle coverage from GEICO and six months of gas gift cards, six months of grocery gifts cards and $100 Target gift cards for each child to help make Christmas a little easier—all courtesy of G&C Auto Body and the Crozat Foundation.

NABC Recycled Rides is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides program in 2007, members of the NABC have donated more than 2,750 vehicles valued at more than $38 million.

The late Gene Crozat started the Crozat Family Foundation in 2004 and it’s still going strong. He used to like to say, “It is our responsibility to help our fellow men.”

It started as a “Car-A-Month Giveaway” on various local radio stations and has grown into a foundation that provides support to the individuals and families they encounter when they meet through the company’s various car giveaways, according to the foundation’s website.

There have been a few setbacks for the Crozat family since they lost their patriarch, but the business is still growing. Since Gene’s passing, the Crozat family has lost seven of their homes, which burned to the ground in two separate fires, including the house they all grew up in.

One thing Gene taught his four children—Shawn, Josh, Jamie and Patrick—and his beloved granddaughter, Maddy, is to make helping people a priority. Crozat took philanthropy to the next level, giving people cars, cash and even jobs at one of his shops in some instances.

The company has given away approximately 200 cars since it started the “Car-A-Month Giveaway” nearly two decades ago.

“We hope to help the recipients get back on the road of life, giving a reliable ride and additional support to those who have fallen upon misfortune or endured catastrophic, unforeseen events,” Gene Crozat said when he established the program. “We strive to help create success where failure may have seemed inevitable.”