Holmgren Subaru is honored to receive the 2026 Subaru Love Promise HEART Award.
In recognition of our commitment to our customers and community.
What is the Subaru Love Promise®?
The Subaru Love Promise® is our vision to show love and respect to all people at every interaction with Subaru. Subaru and our retailers believe every day gives us an opportunity to positively impact the world around us - by how we support each other, our customers, and our community. Together, we are committed to making the world a better place.
What is the Subaru Love Promise Community Commitment?
At Holmgren Subaru, we believe in being a positive force in our community, not just with donations, but with actions that set an example for others to follow. We aim to make the world a better place through several key initiatives that help support and protect people, pets, and our planet:
How is Holmgren Subaru dedicated locally to the Love Promise?
Our Love Promise can be seen in various partnerships with local charities and non-profits. We're grateful for the opportunity, not only to be a part of our community, but to serve it as well.
Wings of Freedom Animal Rescue
Adopt A Highway, CT Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound
Franklin Elementary School, John B. Stanton Elementary School
Community Speaks Out, Community of Hope, Holy Family Home & Shelter, Connecticut Food Bank, Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services
Sails Up For Cancer, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, St. Jude
Love Promise Stories from Holmgren Subaru
Subaru and Holmgren Subaru believe in making a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work. We uphold that belief through our Love Promise Community Commitment. Every month, we select inspiring stories from customers and partners from around our area who strive to support our collective commitment and feature them here
More Than a Donation: Holmgren Subaru's Partnership Brings Hope to Community Speaks Out - Tammy D
At Community Speaks Out (CSO), we believe that recovery begins with hope, compassion, and the knowledge that no one has to face addiction alone. Thanks to community partners like Holmgren Subaru, we are able to turn that belief into action, changing lives and helping families throughout New London County. Community Speaks Out was founded by four local residents who recognized a heartbreaking gap in support for individuals and families affected by drug and alcohol addiction. What began as a determination to help others has grown into a lifeline for countless people navigating the challenges of addiction and recovery. Our mission is simple: to provide education, prevention, resources, and support to those who need it most. At our core, we are simply people helping people. Our partnership with Eric and Dawn Holmgren and the entire Holmgren Subaru team has become an important part of that mission. By selecting Community Speaks Out as a hometown charity for the Subaru Share the Love Event and generously sponsoring our annual golf tournament, Holmgren Subaru has demonstrated a commitment that extends far beyond financial contributions. Of course, the funding is invaluable. As an organization led entirely by unpaid volunteers, every dollar donated goes directly toward helping people in our community. These contributions help us provide critical resources, support groups, and assistance to individuals and families facing addiction. They also help us address one of the greatest obstacles to sustained recovery: having a safe, stable place to call home. For someone completing treatment, the uncertainty of where they will sleep or how they will rebuild their life can be overwhelming. Without a support system, these obstacles can threaten everything they have worked so hard to achieve. Through the generosity of partners like Holmgren Subaru, we can help bridge that gap, providing the stability, encouragement, and resources people need to move forward. But perhaps one of the most meaningful aspects of this partnership is something that cannot be measured in dollars. Addiction is a disease often surrounded by stigma, shame, and silence. Many individuals and families struggle privately, afraid to reach out or unsure where to turn. Holmgren Subaru is a trusted and respected name in our community, and by publicly standing alongside Community Speaks Out, they are helping break down those barriers. Through the visibility of the Subaru Share the Love Event, our organization has reached people who might never have known we existed. I have personally connected with individuals who learned about Community Speaks Out through this partnership, reached out for help, and received the support they desperately needed. That is the true power of this partnership. A family discovers they are not alone. Someone struggling with addiction finds the courage to ask for help. A person in recovery gets another chance at building a stable, healthy life. The impact continues to grow. Community Speaks Out has secured a building in the City of Groton that serves as a welcoming space for individuals in recovery, their families, and our support groups. We continue to listen to the needs of those affected by addiction and adapt our programs to meet the challenges facing our community, including the devastating fentanyl crisis. We are also working toward establishing a youth group focused on middle school students, recognizing the importance of education and prevention before substance use begins. None of this work happens in isolation. It takes a community willing to care, to listen, and to invest in the well-being of others. Holmgren Subaru understands that making a difference isn't simply about writing a check. It's about standing behind an organization, lending your voice to its mission, and helping create opportunities for people to find hope when they need it most. The ripple effect of that support is extraordinary. When one person finds recovery, a family begins to heal. When a family heals, our community grows stronger. And when a respected local business helps shine a light on addiction and recovery, it reminds others that compassion and understanding can truly change lives. We are deeply grateful to Eric and Dawn Holmgren and everyone at Holmgren Subaru for believing in our mission, supporting our efforts, and helping us reach people who might otherwise have suffered in silence. Because of this partnership, people are finding help. Families are finding hope. And lives are being changed. That is what the Subaru Love Promise means to Community Speaks Out. Respectfully, Tammy de la Cruz Founder/President Community Speaks Out
Beach Cleanup at Esker Point - Maggie R
For our ninth year of partnership, Holmgren Subaru and Save the Sound teamed up to clean up Esker Point Beach in Groton. This cleanup gathered 20 volunteers and picked up 84.2 pounds of trash. Cleanups are a great way for communities to get involved and directly make a positive impact on spaces in their areas. Save the Sound supports and hosts about 70 cleanups every year, from August through November. Since 2018, Subaru dealerships across Connecticut have sponsored our cleanup season, making those 70 cleanups possible. Last year alone, volunteers collected nearly 12,000 pounds of trash - that's about the weight of four Subaru Outbacks! Through their continued support, Subaru is helping to make it possible for volunteers across the state to come together and care for the place they call home. We're incredibly grateful for Holmgren Subaru's partnership and commitment to keeping our waterways clean!
Holmgren Subaru and V.E.T.S.: From Hope to Impact - Thor .
Last year, when I wrote about the impact of the Subaru Share the Love program on Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services, I talked about programs we were expanding, programs we were just beginning, and ideas we hoped to turn into reality. A year later, I have the privilege of saying: We did it. And much of that progress has been possible because people like Eric and Dawn Holmgren, who believed in us. Over the past two years, Subaru and Holmgren Subaru have provided $27,850 to Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services. For a grassroots organization like ours, that is an extraordinary investment. It has helped us strengthen the programs at the heart of V.E.T.S., build new ones, and continue providing every program at absolutely no cost to the veterans, active-duty service members, first responders, and families we serve. Our equine program remains the foundation of V.E.T.S. and the primary beneficiary of this support. In the arena, rank, title, background, and sometimes even words become unimportant. Participants learn communication, patience, trust, confidence, emotional awareness, and leadership through working with an animal that responds honestly to what we bring into that relationship. Subaru's support helps make those moments possible. It helps provide the horses, facilities, equipment, instructors, and resources necessary to keep our equine programs growing and accessible. But something else has happened as V.E.T.S. has grown. We have learned that healing, connection, and purpose do not have to happen in only one place or through one activity. Last year, I wrote that Subaru's support was helping us prepare to launch our Outdoor School. Today, that program is a reality, bringing participants together in nature to learn outdoor skills, challenge themselves, share experiences, and rediscover camaraderie. Our archery program continues to grow, giving individuals and families an opportunity to develop focus, confidence, and mindfulness. Our western and horsemanship activities have continued to introduce participants to new experiences and challenges. We have also expanded into culinary programming through our Cowboy Kitchen, which is getting national recognition and creating another place to gather, learn something new, and enjoy being part of a team again. V.E.T.S. has never been about horses, bows, ropes, campfires, or cooking. It is about connection. It is about creating places where someone can walk through the door, enter an arena, stand on an archery line, gather around a fire, or prepare a meal and discover that there is still a community waiting for them. That is why the relationship we have developed with Eric and Dawn Holmgren means so much to me personally. Last year, I wrote that although Subaru calls this program Hometown Heroes, I did not consider us the heroes. I said the heroes were people like Eric and Dawn, people who recognize a need in their community and decide to do something about it. Another year of working with them has only strengthened that belief. Eric and Dawn and the Holmgren Subaru team have become much more than sponsors of V.E.T.S. They have become partners and friends of our organization. They have continued to show up, encourage us, support our growth, and believe in what we are building. And now that vision is becoming larger. This year, V.E.T.S. acquired VETSUSA.org, an important step toward taking what we have learned here in Connecticut and beginning to think about how our mission can reach people beyond our community. We are proud of our Connecticut roots. They are not something we intend to leave behind; they are the foundation from which we hope to grow. When we think about eventually taking V.E.T.S. to a national level, it is especially meaningful to know that one of the organizations helping us build that foundation is Subaru—a company whose Share the Love program demonstrates what can happen when national resources are placed into the hands of people doing meaningful work in their own communities. But here on the coast of Connecticut, we get to see what those numbers actually look like. They look like a veteran standing quietly beside a horse. They look like a family learning archery together. They look like people gathering around a campfire. They look like participants preparing a meal together and laughing around a table. They look like someone who may have felt isolated discovering that they belong to a team again. That is the impact of Share the Love. To Eric and Dawn Holmgren, the entire Holmgren Subaru family, Subaru of America, and every customer who chose to support V.E.T.S. through Share the Love: Thank you. Thank you for helping us care for the programs we already had, build the programs we once only imagined, and believe enough in our mission to help us imagine where it might go next. You are not simply helping fund Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services. You are the hand reaching out to help others back into the saddle and on with their lives.
Decade of Delivering Comfort, Care, and Hope - Sasha D
On June 23, 2026, Holmgren Subaru of North Franklin continued a meaningful tradition that began a decade ago, delivering blankets, patient care kits, and messages of hope to patients at Yale Waterford Smilow Cancer Center through the Subaru Loves to Care® initiative. Holmgren Subaru has been participating in Subaru Loves to Care since 2016, making this year a special milestone in a partnership that has become one of the retailer's favorite Share the Love activations. Year after year, their team has remained committed to supporting patients and families facing cancer and recognizing the incredible work being done every day at Smilow Cancer Center. This year's impact extended even further. In addition to providing blankets and patient care kits to offer comfort during treatment, Holmgren Subaru also contributed funds to Blood Cancer United's Urgent Need Pediatric and Young Adult Program, providing critical financial assistance to five households facing the added financial challenges that can come with a cancer diagnosis. For patients and families navigating cancer, support can take many forms. It can be the warmth of a blanket during a long day of treatment, a thoughtfully prepared care kit, or financial assistance that helps ease the burden of essential expenses during an already overwhelming time. Through this partnership, Holmgren Subaru is helping provide all three. We are incredibly grateful to Holmgren Subaru for a decade of dedication to the Subaru Loves to Care initiative and for continuing to find meaningful ways to support patients and families in our community. What began in 2016 has grown into a lasting tradition of compassion, generosity, and hope—and we look forward to continuing this meaningful partnership for years to come.
Holmgren Subaru: Driving Hope and Healing in Our Community - Tammy D
At Community Speaks Out, we witness every day how powerful compassion and partnership can be. For many years, Holmgren Subaru has stood beside us as more than a supporter — they have been a true partner in healing, hope, and second chances. Through the Subaru Love Promise and the “Share the Love” initiative, their generosity has reached far beyond financial support. It has touched real lives, strengthened families, and helped restore dignity and purpose to those who need it most. Because of Holmgren Subaru’s continued support, we are able to offer people a safe place to land when they are at their most vulnerable. We can connect families to the resources and support they need, and we can create moments of joy and community for individuals who are learning how to live again without substances. These moments — whether quiet or celebratory — are often the turning points that keep someone moving forward. One story stays with us deeply. Last June, we helped a woman who was terrified of entering treatment. In her fear, she ran. But with patience, care, and the resources made possible through partnerships like the one we share with Holmgren Subaru, we were able to get her to safety and into detox. Months later, in November, she reached out with a message that reminded us why this work matters so much: “I’m happy to be sober and clear-minded, and I couldn’t have got here without you guys driving me in that day!” That message didn’t just belong to us — it belonged to Holmgren Subaru, too. Because without their long-standing commitment, stories like hers would not be possible. Holmgren Subaru isn’t just supporting a program. They are helping people reclaim their lives. They are helping families heal. They are helping build a stronger, healthier, more compassionate community. Their partnership is a living example of what the Subaru Love Promise was meant to be: People Helping People. With deep gratitude, Community Speaks Out
Holmgren Subaru Cleans Up the Coast. A Day of Stewardship at Esker Point Beach. - Annalisa P
At Save the Sound, we’re always inspired by community partners who share our commitment to protecting and restoring the Long Island Sound region. This fall, we were thrilled to have the team from Holmgren Subaru join us for the International Coastal Cleanup at Esker Point Beach in Groton, CT. Holmgren Subaru’s staff and volunteers rolled up their sleeves to make a difference, collecting over eight bags of trash from the shoreline and surrounding areas. Their efforts helped remove harmful debris such as fishing line, plastics, Styrofoam, and cigarette butts — items that can seriously endanger coastal wildlife. Turtles, fish, birds, and other marine animals can become entangled in discarded fishing gear and six-pack rings, or mistake small bits of trash for food, leading to poisoning or starvation. Every cleanup helps prevent this harm and keeps our beaches safe and beautiful for both people and wildlife. We’re grateful to Holmgren Subaru for embodying the spirit of the Subaru Love Promise through their ongoing support of environmental initiatives. Their dedication shows how local businesses can make a real impact when they take action to care for our shared home. Together, we’re creating cleaner shores, healthier habitats, and a stronger, more resilient Long Island Sound.
Holmgren Subaru Shares the Love with Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services - Thor T
At Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services, we have a simple mission that has guided us from the very beginning. We provide a serene place for military veterans to heal through equine and educational activities led by skilled instructors, staff, and volunteers. Many of our team members are veterans themselves and understand what it feels like to try to rebuild your life after military service, after the trauma and the physical wounds that come with it. What makes our work possible is the generosity of people who believe in supporting those who have given so much for all of us. This year, that generosity showed up in an incredible way. Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services was chosen as a 2024 Hometown Charity by Holmgren Subaru in North Franklin, Connecticut. As part of Subaru’s commitment to supporting local organizations, the 2024 Subaru Share the Love Event raised more than 31 million dollars for charities around the country. Through this program, we were honored to receive $15,250 dollars in donations, thanks to Holmgren Subaru and their staff and customers. The promotion is called “Hometown Heros” but I honestly do not think of us as the heroes in this story. The real heroes are people like Eric and Dawn Holmgren, owners of Holmgren Subaru. They are the ones who see a need and decide to step in with open hearts. Their support, and the support of Subaru as a company, has been inspiring to me and to everyone in our organization. It is hard to fully explain just how much this donation has meant. These funds have allowed us to reach more veterans than ever before. We have been able to expand our mounted and ground equine programs, bringing in more participants to experience the calm and sense of purpose that comes from working with horses. We also have grown our archery program. With new equipment, we are able to offer lessons to parents and children together, giving families a way to build confidence, learn life skills, and create memories that last. This support is helping us launch our Outdoor School program that will start in July 2025. This program brings veterans, active duty service members, first responders, and their families together in nature to learn camping and survival skills. It is a chance to share stories, make connections, and find community in a peaceful setting. The Share the Love donation also allowed us to put together a roping clinic as part of our Cowboy School. Participants will learn new skills in a fun environment and take home their own rope to keep practicing their new skills. But what matters most is that these programs are not just activities. They are helping save lives. So many veterans struggle with isolation, depression, and the weight of memories they cannot always share. Programs like ours help reduce that isolation. They teach ways to manage emotions, provide a sense of purpose, and create a safe space to heal. None of this work could happen without the generosity of people like Eric and Dawn Holmgren and the dedication of Subaru to their communities. Our organization is completely supported by donations and the time and care of our volunteers. Because of this support, we are able to offer everything we do at no cost to our participants. On behalf of everyone at Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services, our veterans, our service members, our first responders, and all the families we serve, thank you. Thank you to Eric and Dawn, to Holmgren Subaru, and to Subaru of America for believing in us and for believing in the power of community. Your support is creating a place of healing and hope that our heroes can count on. Sincerly Thor Torgersen Executive Director / Co-Founder Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services vetsct.org
Holmgren Subaru Teams Up to Support Local Community - Nate R
Imagine going without a coat, shoes, or even socks. For millions of children and adults experiencing homelessness and other urgent need situations across the country, even here in North Franklin, this is a harsh reality. Helping others strengthens communities, which is why Holmgren Subaru is partnering with Operation Warm®, a national nonprofit focused on connecting children with the resources they need to thrive. Through this partnership and other Subaru Loves to Help® efforts, Subaru and retailers like Holmgren Subaru have helped nearly 900,000 children and adults in urgent need. On 02/12/2025, Holmgren Subaru donated 204 shoes/socks to Madonna Place. These essential items not only help keep children protected, warm, and dry, it can have a significant impact on a child's mental and emotional well-being.
Holmgren Subaru Delivers Comfort and Care to Local Cancer Patients Through Subaru Loves to Care - Paige C
As part of the Subaru Loves to Care initiative in partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), Holmgren Subaru generously donated 80 blankets and 30 thoughtfully prepared patient care kits to local cancer patients, offering both comfort and encouragement during their treatment journeys. Each blanket and care kit was a symbol of compassion, delivered with the hope of bringing a moment of relief and a reminder that patients are not alone in their fight. The care kits, filled with practical and comforting items, were designed to support patients through the challenges of treatment, while the blankets offered warmth and a tangible sense of community. The Holmgren Subaru team went above and beyond, personally delivering the items. Their kindness and dedication reflect the core values of Subaru and the powerful impact of the Subaru Loves to Care initiative. Through this generous outreach, Holmgren Subaru continues to demonstrate that love, support, and human connection can make all the difference—both in the community and in the lives of those who need it most.
Holmgren Subaru Representing the Truest Spirit of Community, Neighbors Helping Neighbors. - Sandra F
On behalf of the East Hampton Volunteer Food and Fuel Bank, a heartfelt thank you to Holmgren Subaru for your extraordinary generosity. We are deeply grateful for your incredible donation, which has made a world of difference in the lives of so many. Your support has allowed us to provide food for families and warmth for homes, helping us make a lasting impact through the contributions we’ve gathered. Thanks to your kindness, we’ve been able to collect 4,863 pounds of food and raise an impressive $14,420. Your contribution has directly supported over 400 households, providing vital food and fuel assistance to those in need. We are truly inspired by your dedication to our community. Together, we’re creating meaningful change, and we couldn’t do it without you. Once again, thank you for your trust, your support, and your belief in our mission. We appreciate everything you do, and we wish you a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
