The Race For Grace Foundation

08/19/2025

✨ Congratulations to Addison Rodriguez on being named the 2025 recipient of the Ellie Lombardi Philanthropist of the Future Award! ✨

When the United Way of Southington shared their idea to name an award after Ellie, we were truly humbled and hopeful it would inspire other young people to follow their passions while making a difference. 💛

Ellie can’t wait to attend this year’s event and proudly present Addison with the award in person. Seeing other kids step up in their own unique ways is exactly what we hoped for when this award was created. 🌱🐝👏

A heartfelt thank you to the United Way of Southington for keeping this tradition alive and celebrating the next generation of changemakers.

Did you catch yesterday’s Live? Join us in congratulating Southington resident Addison Rodrigues as the 2025 Ellie Lombardi Philanthropist of the Future award winner! 🎉

✏️ 🌱 Addison is a rising senior at Southington High School and involved in the Agriculture Science department.

🐝 Addison became Southington Bread For Life’s student beekeeper three years ago which requires continuous labor and study. In-season and out-of-season, Addison remains a dedicated apiary farmer and volunteer!

💡 Learn more about Addison’s inspiring actions in our community at Unsung Heroes - United in Action: http://www.unitedwayofsouthington.org/news-events/events/unsung-heroes-united-action

…and stay tuned for our Unsung Hero Award announcement tomorrow!

07/27/2025

🩷 Thank You! 🩷

Despite the rainy forecast, we are so incredibly grateful to everyone who came out to support Ellie’s 5th Annual Charity Car Show!

We had approximately 38 vehicles attend and raised an amazing $1,944 for Southington Animal Control to help improve their facilities for the animals 🐾

Thank you to everyone who showed up, entered the raffles, brought a car, or simply came to support — and congratulations to all our trophy winners! 🏆

Special shoutouts to:
🌭 Rescue Dog Food Trucks, LLC – for coming despite the weather and serving up amazing food
⚖️ The Haymond Law Firm – for setting up and supporting the event, and ALL of our incredible sponsors:

⭐️ Get In Detail Auto Spa
⭐️ ATP Barber Salon
⭐️ King of Dings
⭐ Worldwide Wine & Spirits
⭐️ Lake Compounce
⭐️ Sweet Encounter Bakery & Cafe
⭐ EBOOST
⭐ New York Giants
⭐️ New England Patriots
⭐ DrinkLMNT
⭐ Hartford Wolf Pack
⭐️ Boston Red Sox
⭐ Lime Rock Park
⭐️ tastesalud
⭐ United Way of Southington

This community continues to show up — rain or shine — and prove that weather won't stop us. We’re excited to grow and hold even more events in the future, and we truly couldn’t do it without every one of you who makes it possible 💪🩷

07/27/2025

🌤️ Weather Update 🌤️
Radar looks promising! One more spot of rain expected between 10–11AM, then it should be clear until around 3PM.

Fingers crossed it holds — we’re looking good so far! 🙌

07/27/2025

Show is on! While weather is not ideal seems we'll get a window of low/no rain. Hope to see everyone willing to make it out there! I'm sure we can still have a fun time! We'll be letting people arrive at 10am FYI if you would like to arrive earlier!

07/26/2025

🌧️ Weather Update for Ellie’s 5th Annual Charity Car Show 🌧️

After closely monitoring the forecast, we've decided to move forward with the show tomorrow! The weather has been unpredictable, but it looks like we may have a window to make it work — and we’re hopeful for the best.

This decision comes due to limited future availability at the venue for this year, as well as one of our directors preparing for an upcoming surgery, making rescheduling very difficult.

The good news is, the event space features a covered pavilion to help keep everyone dry and comfortable.

We completely understand that not everyone wants to bring their show vehicles out in uncertain weather — and that’s okay! You’re still more than welcome to bring your daily driver, enjoy the day, and show your support. Or, if you'd prefer to support from home, you can donate via Venmo:

🚗 Early arrival is welcome starting at 10AM if you’d like to get settled before the weather rolls in.

We'll do one final weather check in the morning to ensure there are no drastic changes. Your safety and comfort are always our top priority.

🎟️ The raffle prizes, 50/50, and trophy awards will still be happening as long as there’s enough participation.

Thank you all for your support, understanding, and for sticking with us — rain or shine, we’re grateful to have this amazing community behind us!

07/25/2025

🚨 Weather Watch Update 🚨

Hey everyone! We’re keeping a close eye on the weather for Ellie’s 5th Annual Charity Car Show this Sunday. As always, the safety and comfort of our participants, spectators, and volunteers come first.

We’ll make any announcements or changes by Saturday night right here on our social media pages and in our Facebook group. Be sure to check back before heading out!

Fingers crossed for sunshine and shiny cars! ☀️🚗💨
Thank you all for the support – we can’t wait to see you!

07/23/2025

🚗✨ Meet the girl behind the gears! ✨🚗
Ellie’s not just hosting this weekend’s car show—she’s the engine that drives it. 💪 Get to know the birthday girl, the car queen, and the heart of the show in this behind-the-scenes video! 🎉🔥

07/15/2025

We are so honored to share that the Ellie Lombardi Philanthropist of the Future Award will once again be presented at this year’s United Way of Southington Annual Benefit Dinner and Awards! 💛

Thank you to the United Way for not only naming an award after Ellie, but for recognizing and uplifting young changemakers in our community.

Ellie continues to inspire other kids to lead with kindness, give back, and make a difference—one good deed at a time. We’re beyond proud of the impact she’s already made and the light she continues to shine. 🌟

The United Way of Southington is a local non-profit organization managed by a very small staff and supported by hundreds of volunteers each year. By utilizing the time and talent of people from all walks of life, the United Way of Southington is able to invest in multiple agencies each year – prov...

07/14/2025

The car show is fast approaching! We can't wait to see everyone there! Ellie is so excited as its always her favorite time of the year!

Please feel free to share the event!

07/07/2025

🌟 Sponsor Spotlight! 🌟
We’re proud to welcome two amazing local businesses as official sponsors of Ellie’s 5th Annual Charity Car Show — Get In Detail Auto Spa and ATP Barber Salon! 👏

✨ Get In Detail Auto Spa
When it comes to making your ride look its absolute best, Get In Detail Auto Spa is the go-to spot in town. Known for their expert detailing services and high-quality finish work, they bring out the shine in every car they touch — just like we aim to do in our community. We’re so grateful for their support and their shared love for all things automotive! 🚗✨

💈 ATP Barber Salon
More than just a barbershop — ATP Barber Salon is a staple in Southington where style, conversation, and community come together. From clean cuts to a welcoming vibe, this shop represents everything we love about supporting local. We’re thrilled to have them join us this year as a sponsor! 💇‍♂️🔥

Supporting local businesses isn’t just good for the economy — it builds stronger communities and deeper connections, especially when it’s tied to a great cause. We're thankful for sponsors like these who step up and stand behind our mission of using automotive events to raise funds for charities in need.

Be sure to check out both businesses, and show them some love! 🏁❤️

07/02/2025

Now that it’s officially July, we’re thrilled to announce that Ellie’s 5th Annual Charity Car Show is just around the corner — happening July 27th! 🏁

After carefully considering all the incredible local causes presented, Ellie has chosen this year’s donation recipient: Southington Animal Control 🐾💙

As an avid animal lover who rides horses and shares her life with many pets, this cause is especially close to her heart. Our donation will help improve the facilities and support the amazing work being done there every day.

Keeping with the animal theme, we’re excited to welcome Rescue Dog Food Truck to this year’s event, serving up their burgers, dogs and more! 🌭🍔 And back by popular demand, J.O.J Ice will return with their refreshing tropical Italian ice! 🍧☀️

Stay tuned — we’ll be dropping this year’s official flyer and sponsor list in the coming days. Get ready for an unforgettable event filled with cars, community, and compassion!

If your a business and would like to participate and sponsor the event there's still time. Please reach out with any questions.

Check out the event link below for more info regarding the show!

https://facebook.com/events/s/ellies-5th-annual-birthday-cha/1148174306711786/

03/15/2025

We're now able to accept donations through Venmo!

https://www.venmo.com/u/RaceForGrace