Crash Champions Raises $300,000 at 2026 Champions Classic in Support of Champion It Forward
Annual charity golf tournament welcomes 200 golfers and 50 sponsors to benefit Champion It Forward and expand opportunities for aspiring collision repair technicians
CHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crash Champions, one of the nation’s fastest-growing founder-led providers of high-quality collision repair services, today proudly announced that its annual Champions Classic charity golf outing raised $300,000 in support of Champion It Forward, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to strengthen the automotive collision repair workforce by expanding opportunities, mentorship programs and viable career pathways.
Now in its 12th year, the Champions Classic is Crash Champions’ signature community fundraising event, which has previously made significant contributions to organizations including Make-A-Wish and Collision Engineering Career Alliance, among others.
The 2026 event took place Sept. 10 at Bolingbrook Golf Club in Bolingbrook, Ill., where more than 200 golfers, with the generous support of more than 50 sponsors and partners from across the collision repair and automotive industries, joined in support of Champion It Forward.
“The Champions Classic is special because it reflects our vision to Champion People by uniting those across our industry for a great cause,” said Matt Ebert, Founder and CEO of Crash Champions. “I’m incredibly grateful to the golfers, sponsors, partners and everyone who joined us this year to raise $300,000 and, more importantly, help create opportunities for the next generation of collision repair professionals.”
The annual Champions Classic charity golf outing is part of Crash Champions’ broader commitment to building the collision repair workforce, advocating for the skilled trades, and expanding pathways into the profession. In 2024, the organization raised $200,000 for Collision Engineering Career Alliance through the event. Meanwhile, Crash Champions is also building the company’s Skills Training Education Program (STEP), a U.S. Department of Labor Certified Apprenticeship Program that provides aspiring technicians with a consistent and scalable pathway to develop the skills needed for a career in collision repair.
Through investments in education, training, mentorship and apprenticeships, Champion It Forward works to reduce barriers to entering the skilled trades and help individuals build rewarding, long-term careers. For more information about Champion It Forward, visit ChampionItForward.org.
For more information about Crash Champions or to locate a repair center near you, visit www.crashchampions.com. Individuals interested in joining the team are encouraged to visit careers.crashchampions.com to explore current opportunities.
About Crash Champions
Crash Champions is one of the largest founder-led multi-shop operators (MSO) of high-quality collision repair services in the U.S., serving customers and business partners at more than 650 state-of-the-art repair centers across 38 states — including Crash Champions LUXE | EV Certified repair centers. The company was founded in 1999 as a single Chicago repair center by industry veteran Matt Ebert, a 2023 winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Midwest Award.
Crash Champions is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. For more information and to locate a local repair center, visit crashchampions.com. Industry professionals interested in career opportunities at Crash Champions are encouraged to visit careers.crashchampions.com.
About Champion It Forward
Champion It Forward is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for the next generation of collision repair professionals. Through investments in education, training, mentorship and apprenticeships, Champion It Forward works to reduce barriers to entering the skilled trades and help individuals build rewarding, long-term careers. By bringing together resources and support from across the automotive and collision repair industries, the organization is helping strengthen the pipeline of skilled professionals and invest in the future of the profession. To learn more, visit ChampionItForward.org.
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Gaffney Bennett Public Relations Crash Champions crash@gbpr.com
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