Entries Accepted to Win a Car in Baltimore, 2025 Cars With Care Gala Tickets Available
Ma’Lia McClain reflected on a blessing that she does not take for granted.
“I won a 2015 Nissan Altima on Christmas of 2022,” she said.
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The mother faced obstacles commuting to and from work and school, and transporting her children wherever they needed to go, until an unexpected solution emerged. Since 2016, a collective of Black-owned business owners teamed up to purchase, recondition and donate nine vehicles to families in need around Baltimore on Christmas Day through a local nonprofit called Cars With Care. Committed male business owners strive to continue the mission and help more families in the Baltimore area with the transportation they need.
@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 90px;}}Martius Harding, owner of Auto Source, has been a faithful supporter and asset to the cause. He joined the Cars With Care team in 2024.
“We couldn’t be happier about it,” said Stephen Green, co-founder of Cars With Care and owner of Paintless Dent Doctor. Damond Horne, co-founder of Cars With Care and owner of Total Recon; Michael Foy, owner of CM Mobile Detailing and founder of The Emilie Wall Foundation; Eric Randall, owner of BMore Like Us, KXK Financial and founder of BMore Soleful Kicks; Kermit Fowlkes, owner of Focus Movers and a Hug Don’t Shoot partner; and Gabe Epps, owner of Pro Speed Elite and founder of Long Live Jo are also a part of the nonprofit’s collective.
McClain mentioned that the Cars With Care team has become family to her.
@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 90px;}}“Everything I do, I let them know it was because of their thoughtfulness and love for what they do that made it possible for me to become successful and to be able to achieve everything I had set out to do.”
This year will mark 10 years of Cars With Care blessing Baltimoreans in need, but support is critical. The 5th Annual Cars With Care Fundraising Gala will be held at Patapsco Arena VIP Room, located at 3301 Annapolis Road in Baltimore, Maryland on December 12, 2025, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. The black-tie affair, hosted By April Watts, will feature DJs, nineties R&B covers, catered food, a cash bar, a 360 booth, and a drink package with each ticket purchase. Gala sponsors include MBF Development LLC; KDW Catering; TAJ Strategic Consulting Services LLC; DJ Mike Crosby; and April Watts.
“Our team donates all labor and logistics and 100% of all monies raised from the gala fund the cause,” Green stated.
@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 90px;}}Gala tickets directly fund everything from a vehicle purchase, parts, registration and titling to a monetary donation that is awarded to the winning family to cover the initial cost of car ownership.
Horne mentioned that although all skill, labor and time to fix cars is donated by the team, purchasing and fully reconditioning a vehicle is a substantial financial undertaking.
“Sponsorship and gala ticket sales afford us the capital to accomplish that goal, especially this year, with the vehicle needing an engine replacement before we even get into the exterior and interior reconditioning,” he said.
@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-4{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-4{min-height: 90px;}}Volunteers help with event setup and break down, venue decoration, cleaning, and curation of a smooth and classy event for gala guests.
“Everyone who attends our events knows how much attention to detail we put into the gala. Accomplishing that requires a host of willing volunteers,” said Horne.
Help is needed to address these tasks. Online assistance can be given by sharing social media posts on Instagram and Facebook. Cars With Care can sign off on community service hours.
@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-5{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-5{min-height: 90px;}}Tiffony Demory, the event coordinator’s manager for culinary production throughout the evening of the gala, stated that families deserve to reach their destinations smoothly.
“Having reliable transportation is the means to accomplish that. Helping a family that may not be able to afford one makes it ten times better,” she stated.
Entries to apply for a Cars With Care vehicle are currently being accepted. Entrants must be a member of a family with a legitimate transportation need; have school-aged children living in the household; hold Baltimore residency; possess a valid Maryland Driver’s license; and be in good MVA standing. The Cars With Care team business owners select entrants whose submitted stories resonate with them. Their choices are entered into a drawing to decide the winner. More information about the contest is available viahttps://www.carswithcare.org/entries.
@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-6{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-6{min-height: 90px;}}Any kind of sponsorship is welcome if volunteers have a heart to give without an agenda. Interested individuals can follow up by calling Green at 443-610-2769 or by emailing carswithcare@gmail.com. Purchase gala tickets fromhttps://CarsWithCareGala2025.eventbrite.comand donate via www.carswithcare.org/donate.
“We greatly appreciate donations of any amount. One hundred percent of your contributions fund the cause,” said Green.
