Hello Friends! The wait is over, our 4th Quarter Newsletter is here.
Petra Cares 4th Quarter Newsletter - November 14, 2023
Dealerships get techs, at-risk youth gain jobs. Petra Cares, a Houston nonprofit, is offering a seven-week automotive technician class to youth who have aged out of the foster care system and other at-risk teens.
Automotive News - October 07, 2023
Building a brighter future. A Houston nonprofit trains foster youth who have aged out of the system and other at-risk teens to be automotive technicians.
Automotive News - October 4, 2023
Richard Arredondo said he’s always liked taking things apart; putting them back together was the hard part. Arredondo, of Houston, got a chance to learn how to put things back together during an intensive seven-week program launched by Petra Cares to train at-risk youth to be automotive technicians.
The ROI of Giving Back. The key place to begin for any type of giving-back initiative is to determine what drives you and inspires you.
AutoSuccess - September 27, 2023
I have long been a believer in corporations giving back to the communities and industries they serve. We recently created and introduced Petra Cares, a non-profit that takes Houston youth from the foster care system and/or homeless teens and young adults and guides them in a six-week dealer technician course, with one week of life skills. Then promises to help them secure a job at one of our dealer partners in Houston and the surrounding area upon graduation. –Arnold Gacita, CEO of Petra Automotive Products.
2023 Class of Champions of Charity Honorees
AutoSuccess - September 1, 2023
AutoSuccess and Babcox Media are proud to present the 2023 class of Champions of Charity honorees.
The automotive industry is an industry chockfull of givers! The AutoSuccess team has always been amazed by the incredible people in this industry who are generous with their time, dollars and talent and give back to those in need. With our new program, we want to spotlight a select few who are doing just that.
“Helping others is part of our culture and is instituted in everything we do. We believe in capitalism, but we do not believe in greed. We believe we are blessed to bless others. We believe we are distributors of God’s wealth. Period. We state this, we believe it and its part of us.” –Arnold Gacita, CEO of Petra Automotive Products.
When Profits Creates Goodwill with Arnold Gacita President of Petra Automotive Products
Fixed Ops 5 Podcast - July 19, 2023
Arnold Gacita CEO of Petra Automotive Products, talks about the charity called Petra Cares, that he and his team started. They aimed to help foster kids exiting the foster care program, who are mostly homeless or dead in jail within three years of leaving the program. The charity provides free training as level one mechanics for these disadvantaged youths, and dealerships offer them jobs once they graduate from the seven-week course. ht a select few who are doing just that.
Training former foster youth to be technicians. Program trains foster care youths who have aged out of the system to be service technicians.
Automotive News - June 14, 2023
Arnold Gacita, CEO of Petra Automotive Products near Houston, has launched a program that trains people who have just left the foster care system to be service technicians. Through his company’s charity arm, Gacita worked with a local college to set up the program and then worked with dealerships in and around Houston to hire the trainees when they graduate. Gacita spoke with Senior Editor Dan Shine at the Business, Bourbon & Cigars event in San Antonio in March.
Automotive company offers free job training program for aged out foster youth.
FOX 26 Houston - June 7, 2023
CYPRESS, Texas – FOX 26’s Gabby Hart has been shining a light on the issues foster children face after they turn 18 and age out. Now she brings us the story of how a local oil company is stepping up to help former foster children beat the odds.
After aging out of foster care, many teens don’t have a plan or the finances to put sustain themselves, but Petra Automotive Products just launched a program that is equipping young men with the tools they need to provide a real future for themselves.
Automotive company offers free job training program for aged out foster youth.
CW 39 Houston - Jun 6, 2023
HOUSTON (KIAH) — Petra Automotive Products is helping youth that have aged-out of the foster care system to get a fresh start as they embark on their independence.
Statistically, every year, hundreds of youth age out of the foster care system in Houston. For many of the youth, this means that after being out of the state’s care, they face homelessness, incarceration and extreme poverty.
Inaugural Foster Students Enter Petra Cares Program
Houston Style Magazine Newswire - Jun 5, 2023
Petra Automotive Products is proud to announce Monday, June 5, marks the first day of training for 11 young adults in the inaugural Petra Cares program. The non-profit arm of Petra Automotive is dedicated to helping young adults aging out of foster care by providing job training and placement in the auto repair industry.
CEO and President Arnold Gacita joins the NOLN Podcast Show to outline the impact of Petra Automotive Products charitable arm of Petra Cares.
National Oil and Lube News Podcast - Jun 1, 2023
The automotive aftermarket is full of inspiring stories. Despite any challenges that the industry may face, there is seemingly always an underlying theme of resiliency.
Petra Automotive announces Petra Cares, a new non-profit to help youth aging out of foster care.
Press Release - October 25, 2022
Cypress, Texas – Petra Automotive Products, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of Petra Cares, our new non-profit organization dedicated to helping young adults aging out of foster care by providing job training and placement in the auto repair industry.
Every year, more than 300 youth age out of the foster care system in the Houston area. The statistical outcomes for many of these young adults are bleak, with homelessness, incarceration, and extreme poverty in up to 80% of those emancipated from state oversight and care.
Petra Cares intends to change these outcomes by providing free auto mechanic training and job placement for up to 20% of those youth, starting with our inaugural class in January 2023. Our eightweek course is delivered in partnership with Lone Star College and will provide transportation, course materials, tools, childcare, technical training, and life skills to ten students at a time. Upon completion, students are matched with employers via the Petra Automotive Products, Inc. car dealership and repair shops business network. “Education breaks the cycle of poverty. Petra Cares wants to be a conduit of quality education and meaningful employment to this marginalized group of young people,” says Arnold Gacita, President of Petra Automotive Products and Petra Cares board member.
Our Vision
Removing barriers to educate and empower parentless and parenting young adults.
- P - Purpose
- E - Education
- T - Training
- R - Responsibility
- A - Achievement
Apply Now
We provide a place for training and utilizing our relationships in the auto industry to connect you with a good paying job.