Driving Change: Vallejo's Chelu Car Club Empowers Youth Through Compassionate Community Initiatives

In the heart of Vallejo, California, a car club has been quietly making a profound impact on the lives of local youth. The Chelu Car Club, founded on the principle of "giving back to the community in which we live and serve," has been steadfastly dedicated to this mission for over a decade, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

Empowering the Next Generation, One Outfit at a Time

Dressing for Success: Chelu Car Club's Back-to-School Shopping Spree

On a recent Saturday, the Chelu Car Club, in collaboration with Team Hope, hosted their biannual event at the American Canyon Walmart Center. The occasion was a back-to-school shopping spree, where 71 families from the Vallejo City Unified and Napa Valley school districts were awarded 0 gift cards to purchase new clothes for their children, ranging from elementary to junior high school.The funds for this initiative were raised through various fundraisers organized by the car club throughout the year, including their 10th annual Battle on the Bay car show in early June. This event showcased approximately 350 cars of diverse makes, models, and generations, drawing in enthusiasts from across the region.While the cars were the main attraction on the day of the shopping spree, the true focus was on the children. "We're just trying to do our part and make a difference," said Pete Duenas, the founder of the Chelu Car Club. "We're giving back and doing our part in the community. We go through the school districts and we've had some help from Vallejo City Councilmembers Mina Loera-Diaz and JR Matulac to find out what families need the help."

Spreading Smiles and Lifting Spirits

Duenas, a humble and unassuming individual, takes great pride in the impact his club's efforts have on the community. "The cool thing is nobody knows this is coming from me," he said with a laugh. "If it wasn't for you guys (points at the Times-Herald) nobody would know it was me doing this."For Duenas, the true reward lies in the joy and gratitude he witnesses on the faces of the children and their families. "The smiles," he said, "I love seeing the smiles when the kids are helped out."Vallejo City Councilmembers Mina Loera-Diaz and JR Matulac were among the 50 chaperones and volunteers who escorted the children through the aisles of Walmart, constantly engaging with them and ensuring they found the perfect outfits. Loera-Diaz, who shopped with soon-to-be second-grader Macario Cummings and his sister, Raelynn, a soon-to-be sixth-grader, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative."Anything related to helping kids I'm all here for," Loera-Diaz said. "You see the smiles and the kids' excitement and it just fills your heart."Matulac echoed these sentiments, highlighting the collaborative nature of the event and the joy it brought to both the children and their parents. "This is a great cross-collaboration with not only the counties, but the cities," Matulac said. "We're bringing a lot of people together. I'd say my favorite part is the same as others in seeing the kids' smile, but also the parents smiling once they see their own kids happy."

Lifting the Burden for Struggling Families

One of the parents who benefited from the Chelu Car Club's generosity was Rosie Bastida, a single mother raising four children. Bastida learned about the event through her social media connections with Duenas and the car club."With prices going up so much, it's hard to get everything that's needed," Bastida said. "So today is a huge relief to see my kids get to shop for what they want to wear. I don't feel so bad about this at all because it's hard out there to get what you need."Bastida's daughter, Beatriz Matus, a soon-to-be fourth-grader, expressed her excitement about the opportunity to get new clothes and shoes, as her current ones were becoming too small."I really want a lot of new shirts and shoes, because they are literally getting too small for me right now," Matus said. "They are all going out of size for me so this will be fun."The Chelu Car Club's commitment to supporting families in need extends far beyond this single event. Through their tireless efforts and unwavering dedication, they have become a beacon of hope and inspiration in the Vallejo community, demonstrating the power of compassion and the transformative impact that can be achieved when a group of individuals come together to make a difference.