Fighting Homelessness One Pit Crew at a Time

From Christmas gifts to BBQ competitions, giving back is a priority for the Rick Hendrick Automotive teams. 

Michael Dinardi has been with the organization since 2013 and is the general manager of Rick Hendrick Buick GMC which services Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta. The relationship between Rick Hendrick dealerships and Home of Hope began when another general manager, Tafi Jaji, reached out to the Home of Hope during the 2018 Christmas season. 

“We were looking for an organization before the holiday season to partner with because we wanted to make an impact in the community. We started searching for orphanages and homeless shelters and came across Home of Hope,” Michael explained. 

“The first year we did a Christmas drive for the kids and the mothers. We went out and did a bunch of shopping and made sure they had a great Christmas as well as making a cash donation [to HOH].”

The Rick Hendrick team then made the leap from sharing Christmas cheer to supporting one of the largest fundraisers for Home of Hope, the Sip & Swine BBQ Festival.

“Tafi, one of our former GMs, and I are amateur barbecuers, so I thought it was a great event for us to partner with for a great cause.”

The first year, the team brought cars to the festival to raise donations and later became the Grand Champion sponsor of the event. When the opportunity to muster a team and compete in the barbecue competition presented itself, Michael and his team built a BBQ ‘pit crew’ and embraced the challenge.

“We get trade-ins at the dealership,” Michael explained. “Right before Sip and Swine, we had a camper traded in, and we used that for our home base for the cooking competition. It didn’t have any running water or heat — and that night, the temperature got down into the teens!”

“We had no idea what we were doing. We even ran out of wood! But that’s a story we cherish and talk about every year.”

For the Rick Hendrick Automotive Group, Sip & Swine is more than just a fun event or opportunity for team bonding. 

“I don’t think there is enough awareness around children’s and mothers’ facilities,” Michael said. “I think events like Sip & Swine bring it to the forefront of the community and make sure everyone’s aware that [homelessness] is a real thing and people around us are affected or could be affected by it.”

He’s continually impressed by how the community has joined sponsors like Rick Hendrick and rallied around Home of Hope. 

“The magnitude of the event, how many teams show up, the volunteers who come out and support with trash removal and setup is incredible,” he said. “The highlight of every year is those who come out and volunteer their time and make that festival what it is.”

Michael is proud to be a part of a team committed to giving back and prioritizes giving in his own life. 

“I’ve been in positions in my life where I needed a helping hand, and I’ve gotten that help from friends or family or from other people to help me get back on track. I’m fortunate enough to be in a position to give back.”

He hopes Rick Hendrick’s support and fundraisers like Sip & Swine continue to raise awareness for the work Home of Hope is doing in the community. 

“The resources they provide — how to balance a checkbook or keep a bank account — are important and making sure the mothers are getting a job and the necessary tools for them to be self-sufficient is important,” he said. 

“It’s not just a place to stay but a means to get mothers out of the situation that they’re in with a little bit of help.”

“Sometimes all we need is a helping hand up.”