HOUSTON, April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Within three years of leaving the foster care system, 80% of young adults face homelessness, incarceration, or worse. Fewer than 2% will ever earn a college degree, a reality that locks one generation of poverty into the next. One in five will experience homelessness within the first year alone. These are not projections, they are the odds stacked against tens of thousands of young Americans every year, and the reason Petra Cares was founded.
On April 10, 2026, Petra Cares raised over $1 million at its 3rd Annual “Fueling Futures” Gala hosted at The Revaire in Houston. The dollars go directly to work to change lives:
- ASE-certified automotive training, tools, scholarships, transportation, and wraparound support for young adults transitioning out of foster care or facing homelessness.
For students in the Petra Cares program, a credential is more than a resume line, it is the difference between a first apartment and security, and a shelter bed. In roughly three years, Petra has helped more than 140 young people through the program.
“Every dollar raised moves us closer to changing lives by breaking the cycles of poverty, homelessness, and instability. Together, we are building a better future for generations to come,” said Brian Meza, executive director at Petra Cares.
A Mission Rooted in One Houstonian’s Vision
Arnold Gacita, president of Petra Automotive Products, established Petra Cares around a simple but powerful premise: pair one of the country’s most underserved youth populations with one of its most in-demand skilled trades. The automotive industry faces a technician shortage projected to leave hundreds of thousands of positions unfilled in the coming decade. Petra Cares exists at that intersection, turning a workforce crisis into an opportunity for young people the system too often leaves behind.
“I started Petra Cares because I believed the foster care system was failing young people at exactly the moment they needed the most support,” said Gacita. “What we have built is proof that when you remove the barriers and give someone a real skill and a real job, they do not just survive — they thrive. That is what every dollar raised at this gala makes possible.”
Through its seven-week intensive program, Petra Cares provides students with training and resources to remove every barrier between them and a credential. Upon graduation, students are connected directly to automotive employers through Petra’s industry network, with job placement built into the program. Since 2023, 140 young adults who once faced homelessness and uncertainty have graduated from Petra Cares and landed full-time careers at Christian Brother’s Automotive, Reynold & Reynolds, Mac Haik Enterprises, Gullo Ford, Fred Hass Toyota Country, Northwest Hyundai, Derby and The Shop — proof that the right training and the right support can change the entire arc of a life.
The Students Behind the Numbers
The $1 million raised at this year’s gala is significant. Behind that number is a young person whose life looks entirely different because of it.
“I grew up in foster care and spent a lot of my life making the wrong choices because I didn’t think I had a future,” said Damacio Perez, a Petra Cares graduate. “Petra Cares gave me more than training – it gave me structure, belief, and a real path forward. Today, I’m working as an automotive technician, earning an honest living, and dreaming bigger than I ever thought I could. For the first time, I’m building something I’m proud of.”
For graduates like this, Petra Cares is not a charity. It is a career and life launchpad backed by industry-recognized credentials and an employer network committed to hiring graduates.
Growing Support, Growing Impact
This year’s event drew community leaders, corporate sponsors, and automotive industry partners including Petra Automotive Products, Reynolds & Reynolds, Truist, Regions Bank, Mac Haik Enterprises, Entrepreneurial Operating System, Brazelton Automotive, ZT Corporate, and others made this year’s fundraising possible.
Petra Cares proudly recognized Mac Haik Automotive Group and Regions Bank for their exceptional partnership and commitment to student success.
- Mac Haik Automotive Group was honored for its commitment to second chances and workforce development, having hired more than 15 Petra Cares graduates, providing not just jobs, but long-term career opportunities and mentorship within the automotive industry.
- Regions Bank was recognized for its investment in financial empowerment, delivering financial literacy education that equips Petra Cares students with the tools to manage money, build credit, and plan for independent futures.
Together, these partners exemplify how employers and community leaders can change lives through action, opportunity, and belief in young people.
Growing Beyond Houston, Petra Cares Sets Sights on Expansion
Since its founding, Petra Cares has grown from its Houston roots and is working on planting its flag in Los Angeles — marking a significant milestone in the organization’s mission to bring automotive career pathways to foster youth across the country.
About Petra Cares Petra Cares is a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting young adults transitioning out of foster care and at-risk youth facing homelessness. Through ASE-certified automotive training, job placement, scholarships, and life-skills support, Petra Cares removes barriers and creates real pathways to stable careers and independent futures. For more information, visit petra-cares.org.
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