Ed's Hair Color Challenge

Associates Enjoy Colorful Incentive to Support Charity

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought steep economic challenges that have affected so many, especially those who were already facing hunger on a daily basis. To address the increase in food insecurity, JM Family Enterprises made a $150,000 emergency donation in early March to seven food banks across North America.

Then in late April, our company banded together when Ed Sheehy, president of JM Family’s subsidiary Southeast Toyota Distributors, engaged his fellow associates, dealer partners and the community in a “Hair Color Challenge” to help provide food to families struggling through this unprecedented time. By making a contribution to Feeding America, donors could place their vote to dye his hair a wild new shade. There was a colorful catch though! Ed challenged everyone to raise a minimum of $15,000 before he would commit to the salon chair. To sweeten the deal and further the fight against hunger, he offered to personally match a portion of the donations. In just one week, the company’s associates, Toyota dealers in the Southeast and friends of JM Family rose to the occasion by donating more than $229,000 to Feeding America. And while the votes ranged from “Leave as-is because he's being a great sport!” to Dennis Rodman’s famous leopard-print look, Ed happily unveiled the winning ‘do – a stunningly bright JM Family teal – live on May 5 to coincide with #GivingTuesdayNow. The reveal was done through a special Zoom meeting with Paco Vélez, the president and CEO of Feeding South Florida, which is a Feeding America partner food bank near the company’s headquarters.

In addition, all funds raised through Ed’s Hair Color Challenge directly supported Feeding America food banks in JM Family’s five-state region of the southeastern United States. This fun and inspiring campaign underlined JM Family’s strong culture of giving back to the communities in which we live and work.