Helping Others Makes Three-Time Champ a Hero
Jimmie Johnson always has enjoyed coming home to California.
But return trips to his native state took on a new level of importance in the summer of 2007 when he and his wife Chandra began hosting the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Annual Golf Tournament presented by Lowe’s. And last year Johnson added another charitable twist when he introduced the Helmet of Hope for the fall Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
If there appears to be one thing Johnson may enjoy as much in life as spending time with Chandra and winning races and championships in NASCAR’s top touring series, it’s giving back to communities through sizable donations to deserving charity organizations.
Through their Jimmie Johnson Foundation, the driver and his wife have helped raise more than $2 million over the last three years for various charities – including the San Diego Habitat for Humanity, the Victory Junction Gang Camp, the Hendrick Marrow Program and the Make-a-Wish Foundation, among several others.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Johnson said.
Johnson launched the Helmet of Hope in July 2008, with the idea of helping out smaller, lesser-known charitable organizations around the country. The foundation accepted more than 400 nominations from fans and members of the media alike before selecting the final 12 charities featured on the helmet worn during the fall Cup race at Fontana. The helmet bearing logos of the 12 selected charities was auctioned off at his golf tournament, which will be held this year Oct. 6-7 in San Diego.
“The Helmet of Hope was started last year and was a great success. It really helped raise awareness for a lot of small organizations and charities throughout the country,” Johnson said. “The media was really excited about it. They had a chance to submit their charities of choice and (some of them) ended up on the helmet with the drawing system that we had and the same with the fans.
“We’re really excited about that program. To help so many small charities around the country was really cool to us. We didn’t realize how much they would appreciate it and how tough it is for them to raise money. It is something we are going to do again.”
Selected in 2008 to join Johnson’s charity of choice, the San Diego Habitat for Humanity, were Alex’s Lemonade Stand, the American Diabetes Association, Breakthrough Manchester, CaringBridge.org, The Children’s Fund for Glycogen Storage Disease Research, Classroom Central, Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, Monarch, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Nationwide Foundation, STEP Inc., and St. Jude Children’s ResearchHospital.
Helping out matters in the auction was that Johnson actually won the race in which he wore the helmet, thereby increasing its value.
Johnson said he appreciates the above-board efforts of his Lowe’s Home Improvement sponsor to assist him in raising money for the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. This year, as in each of the last two, Lowe’s has granted permission for Johnson to alter the paint scheme of his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Impala SS during the Fontana fall race weekend to promote his charitable initiatives.
“The golf tournament is always before the California race. With the change in this year’s race schedule, it is a little further back on the calendar of the schedule. It’s a little later in the year but we have a great venue picked out again,” Johnson said. “Lowe’s is kind enough, once again, to let us change the paint scheme to run a Foundation paint scheme on the car at Fontana. It’s a great program. We’ve had a lot of success on the track with that special paint scheme and at the same time we’ve raised a lot of great money for the Jimmie Johnson Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.”
Building homes for the San Diego Habitat for Humanity is perhaps the greatest joy Johnson has experienced through his off-the-track charitable efforts.
“We are building four homes for Habitat for Humanity in El Cajon, where I grew up. It’s a great program,” Johnson said. “I think what hits me the most is when we’ve given keys to families for the first time to their homes. All the other stuff is for a great cause and you have that and it gives you an amazing feeling inside. But when you can actually see the person you help and there’s a sort of energy exchange in that experience itself, it’s unbelievable. That part is phenomenal.”
It produces a feeling that Jimmie and Chandra Johnson have enjoyed previously, such as when the Jimmie Johnson Foundation funded construction of a state-of-the-art, four-lane bowling center at the Victory Junction Gang Camp, which provides camping experiences free of charge for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The Johnsons were on hand for the bowling center’s grand opening.
“From when we opened up the bowling alley at the Victory Junction Gang Camp, to watch those kids run in the doors for the first time and bowl, the feeling that comes over you is unbelievable,” Johnson said. “Those moments make it all worth it and they inspire Chani and me to keep doing what we do through the foundation.”
Plus he has some fun of his own, especially when it comes time to tee it off for the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Annual Golf Tournament presented by Lowe’s. Johnson moves around the course and tries to play with each foursome.
“From a playing standpoint, I just cruise around and take photos and see everybody,” he said with a chuckle. “But on a fundraising side, it’s been extremely successful. I’ve also been overwhelmed by the San Diego community and how much they love NASCAR and love racing. It’s been a great experience out there and we still have more room to keep growing our event and making it a staple in San Diego.”