Subaru of America, Inc. and Operation Warm® have been awarded the 2025 Gold Halo Award for Best Direct Service Initiative, recognizing their impactful work in delivering warmth and hope to underserved communities across the United States. The prestigious honor, presented by Engage for Good, highlights exemplary collaborations between companies and nonprofits that create tangible, measurable benefits for both business and society.
Operation Warm, a trusted national nonprofit, has been empowering children in need for over 25 years through the gift of brand-new coats, shoes, and essential clothing items. The organization’s mission extends beyond physical warmth—it strives to build confidence and connect children to vital community resources, helping them thrive long-term.
Subaru’s partnership with Operation Warm is part of its larger Subaru Loves to Help® initiative, which exemplifies the automaker’s ongoing commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those most in need. In 2024 alone, the partnership resulted in the distribution of new coats, shoes, and socks to more than 150,000 children across the country. These donations were delivered through coordinated events at homeless shelters and support agencies, with the help of over 630 participating Subaru retailers nationwide.
Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Subaru of America, emphasized the significance of this collaboration: “We are proud to be recognized for our partnership with Operation Warm, an organization that inspires our devotion to helping those in urgent need. Every child deserves to feel safe and protected, and these clothing donations are just one way to comfort those who need it most. None of this would be possible without our dedicated retailers and their relationships in communities across the country. We look forward to building upon our historic support of more than 900,000 children and adults in urgent need situations, continuing to spread love, comfort, and confidence.”
Operation Warm has reached more than 6 million children in over 4,000 communities since its inception. The impact of the Subaru partnership has been felt deeply, not just in statistics, but in personal moments shared by families and volunteers at distribution events.
“Being honored with this award in our second year of partnership with Subaru says a lot about the impact we are making together,” said Grace Sica, Executive Director of Operation Warm. “We see it reflected so often in kids’ smiling faces and parents’ tears; these coats, socks, and shoes offer so much more than physical warmth, they deliver emotional support. We're grateful for this award and proud to amplify our reach, deepen our commitment, and help even more people moving forward.”
The Gold Halo Award was officially presented at the 2025 Halo Awards Gala hosted by Engage for Good on April 24, 2025, celebrating outstanding corporate social initiatives like this one that are making a lasting difference.
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