{"id":6678,"date":"2025-12-23T20:56:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T02:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/?p=6678"},"modified":"2025-12-23T20:56:27","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T02:56:27","slug":"conversation-about-cars-filling-a-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/conversation-about-cars-filling-a-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Conversation about Cars: Filling a need"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Alabama dealer starts initiative to help homeless<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the December issue of UCD<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By John Dismukes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This month, I sat down with Alabama dealer Dan Persinger of Persinger Automotive \u2013 a man whose influence stretches far beyond the lot. What began as a few sleeping bags and snacks handed out under local interstate bridges has grown into a weekly community movement feeding more than 100 homeless residents in Mobile. Dan and his wife have built a culture of compassion, consistency and quiet service, all while running one of the region\u2019s most successful independent dealerships. Our conversation dives into the heart behind their mission, the lessons learned along the way, and the unexpected ways generosity has shaped their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Dismukes (JD):<\/strong> Dan, thanks for sitting down with me. For readers who may not know you yet, how did you first get involved with the charitable outreach you\u2019re doing, especially the work feeding the homeless?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dan Persinger (DP):<\/strong> About 25 years ago, when we were just getting started in the car business, we found success quickly. I had small kids at the time, and I wanted to teach them there\u2019s more to life than income \u2013 that there\u2019s another side to prosperity. I felt fortunate and wanted them to see what it means to give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I\u2019d take my kids with me to go under interstate bridges and drop off sleeping bags, cookies, drinks. We jokingly called it \u201cUnder the Bridge.\u201d We did that a few times a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward to about three years ago: my wife visited the Dream Center in Los Angeles, which helps people get off the streets. She came home and said, \u201cI don\u2019t have to go to L.A. or Vegas to feed the homeless; we need to do something here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That first Sunday back, we went to Cathedral Square in downtown Mobile with 20 or 30 bags of chips, popsicles and drinks. We handed everything out. We did that every Sunday for a month or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I thought, \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll cook some hot dogs.\u201d So, I made 20 to 30. They were gone immediately. You see someone who hasn\u2019t eaten in three days, and you realize how small your efforts feel. So, we expanded. Twenty dogs became 40, then 60, then 80. Now we cook 120 hot dogs every Sunday, plus pick up 15 pizzas from Pizza Hut, bring chips, cookies, candy, everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now when we pull up, there are 100 to 150 people waiting. We haven\u2019t missed a Sunday in around three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve also added a \u201cHow Can I Help?\u201d table. People donate clothes, even vendors and the auction, bring us stuff. A shoe store gives us returned shoes, so we hand out almost-new footwear to people whose feet are in terrible shape. Seeing that transformation is powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JD:<\/strong> That\u2019s an incredible progression. How has this work impacted the culture at Persinger Automotive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> It really comes down to leading by example. I tell the team, \u201cWe can always do the right thing.\u201d One good deed won\u2019t make you, but one bad deed can break you in this business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I never ask my employees to come, but almost all of them have shown up at least once or twice. It\u2019s eye-opening for anyone to see someone their own age living on the street. It puts things into perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> Has this community work affected your business, reputation-wise or operationally?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> It\u2019s tough to measure, but I know positivity comes back around. Vendors know what we do; many donate clothes. And sometimes we see former customers or even former employees in the line. It reminds you how quickly life can change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We even had a homeless gentleman washing our dealership windows for a while. We paid him $50 to $75. Eventually, he got incarcerated, so we had to hire a window-washing company again. But it shows how interconnected everything is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> What\u2019s the biggest lesson you’ve learned through all this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> The biggest revelation has been understanding homelessness differently. People often assume it’s all addiction or bad choices. But many homeless individuals are just like you and me. They just have zero support system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of us, at some point between ages 20 and 40, crashed on a parent\u2019s couch, raided their fridge, borrowed their car, or stayed with family during hard times. The homeless don\u2019t have that. No couch. No spare bedroom. No uncle to call. That\u2019s scary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s made me more grateful for the support I\u2019ve had and more aware of how important it is to give others that chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> Have you seen individuals move out of homelessness because of your efforts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> Yes \u2013 multiple times. People come to the \u201cHelp Table\u201d for work boots or black shirts for a new job. We\u2019ll buy what they need. Then a few weeks later, we see them again, but this time they\u2019re not in line for food; they\u2019re volunteering with us. That\u2019s a great feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> For dealers who read this and want to start a charitable effort, what advice would you give?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> Start simple and set the right expectation. Giving back doesn\u2019t need to be complicated. If you were a high school wrestler and the wrestling team needs uniforms, buy some. No big announcement, no \u201clook at me.\u201d Just do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pick something that matters to you \u2014 your local school, food bank, or a cause tied to your past. If everyone did something, we\u2019d have a much better world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> Have you had people misunderstand your intentions, thinking you\u2019re doing this for recognition?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> Sometimes. But we rarely talk about it publicly. The only time we post is when we need something, like jackets, when it\u2019s cold. My dad always told me, \u201cIf you give, you don\u2019t raise your hand and blow trumpets.\u201d Charity should make sense to you, not be a performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes, people come through the Sunday line who recognize me from our TV commercials. They\u2019ll ask for a business card, and I tell them, \u201cNot today. We don\u2019t do business on Sundays.\u201d That\u2019s not the place for selling cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> As we get older, legacy becomes more important. How do you want your legacy \u2013 and Persinger Automotive\u2019s \u2013 to be remembered?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> Honestly, we\u2019ll just keep doing what we\u2019re doing. But I also want people to know about my wife\u2019s charity, OneMoreMoment.net. It started after our daughter attempted suicide. We had resources to help her, but many families don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One More Moment is a parent support network that now spans almost every state and parts of Canada. It teaches parenting skills and helps families navigate crises. We\u2019re the main sponsor, but now the charity has grants from Walmart, Sam\u2019s Club, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My wife spends much of her time meeting parents, connecting them to therapy, and guiding them. Because the dealership has been successful, we\u2019ve been able to give her the freedom to pursue this mission full-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> With all that on your plate, how do you balance business and charity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> We\u2019ve been fortunate. The dealership performs well, so we\u2019ve been able to structure things so that she leads the charity work day-to-day. I just try to support where I can, including our Sunday outreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JD:<\/strong> Last question. What\u2019s one thing you want readers to take away?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DP:<\/strong> Action cures fear. If you see a problem, do something, even something small. Check on the elderly neighbor. Buy uniforms for a team. Hand someone a meal. Small acts create momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to fly across the country to make a difference. Look around \u2014 there\u2019s need everywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alabama dealer starts initiative to help homeless From the December issue of UCD By John Dismukes This month,…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6680,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_appearance_grid":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6678","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-industry","8":"cs-entry","9":"cs-video-wrap"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6678\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}