When Jim Howe lost his daughter, Sienna, three years ago, the No Prep Kings star made it his mission to honor her in a way that would leave a lasting legacy for the next generation. Howe started the non-profit organization Horsepower for Kids to inspire young people to follow their dreams and pursue careers in skilled trades. The organization travels to schools across the country, delivering motivational speeches, anti-bullying messages, and hands-on experiences with race cars.
“I wanted to do something that she would do,” says Howe. “When she passed on, it weighed on me a lot. She loved helping people, and it was her dream to work with kids – especially special needs kids. My daughter was one that always wanted to see people happy.”
The organization’s mission is simple yet powerful: to provide support, mentorship, and unique experiences to underprivileged and special-needs children. By leveraging the excitement of drag racing, Horsepower for Kids aims to ignite a sense of hope and motivation in young lives while also exposing them to the wide range of career opportunities in motorsports and other industries that value technical skills.
“I was told my entire life, ‘You need to get out and get a job. You don’t need to focus on cars. The cars aren’t going to ever do anything for you. They’re a waste of time, a waste of money.’ That was kind of the way I was programmed in school,” Howe says.
Howe knew he didn’t want the next generation of kids to have that same mindset drilled into them. He’s worked with children in various areas for over 20 years, including getting kids into Junior Dragster programs back in the 90s. During that entire time, he kept waiting for a major sponsor to appear that would allow him to expand his reach. However, when that didn’t happen, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I kept saying, ‘If I get a big sponsor, I’ll do more of this. I’ll go to these schools, I’ll do this and that,’ and I said it for 10 years,” says Howe. “Two years ago, I told my wife [Amanda], ‘You know what? I’m tired of waiting. I’m not going to wait on a big sponsor. We’ll figure out a way to make this happen. How can I preach to people to follow their dreams and do what they want to do if I don’t do it myself?”
Unlike many charities that focus solely on monetary donations, Horsepower for Kids provides immersive, hands-on experiences. Howe travels to school assemblies across the country, educating kids on the importance of following their dreams, giving merchandise away, and letting them see his race cars. Children involved in the program have the opportunity to visit racetracks, meet professional racers, and engage in educational activities centered around automotive mechanics and engineering. The non-profit also connects students directly with employers in skilled trades to help them find job placements.
“Bringing kids to the track is my favorite thing,” says Howe. “I’ve worked with groups like the Best Day Foundation and A Soldier’s Child. These are kids who would normally never have an opportunity to come out. I lean on our local educators to give me kids who are highly-deserving, kids that would benefit from it. We have good one-on-one conversations with them. We put crew shirts on them. We give them an opportunity to be around the cars, to help in the pits. Even if they don’t have mechanical skills, they still get to take part. And of course, we encourage them to watch the racing and talk to the other drivers.
“This year, we’re doing job fairs across the country where we come in and I bring local employers,” Howe continues. “Contractors, HVAC people, trucking companies, whatever the case may be, we have them on the spot to see these kids. We make it a career day, giving kids from eighth grade on up an opportunity to touch base with a potential employer so that when they get out of high school, they’ve got a place to go.”
Events such as charity race days, interactive workshops, and meet-and-greet sessions with racing professionals are in the works. These initiatives not only provide unforgettable experiences for the children but also help fund further outreach efforts. Looking ahead, Howe plans to open a technical training center to provide no-cost education in areas like engine building, chassis fabrication, and CNC machining. Howe’s goal is to address the skilled labor shortage while helping young people discover and pursue their passions.
“When I started this deal, I told my wife, ‘If I can help one kid, just one, then look at what we’ve done,’” says Howe. “Well, now we get emails and letters from schools and you find out you’ve changed not one, but hundreds of kids’ lives and it’s like, ‘Wow, that’s the coolest thing ever.’ It changes the way you look at things. I’ve won national events. I’ve won world championships. I’ve won just about everything I can do in this sport, but nothing has ever come close to what I’m doing now. The excitement I get when working with these kids, it’s a whole different level. This is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Fans, business owners, and educators who want to support Horsepower for Kids can do so in a variety of ways, from donations to volunteering at events. The non-profit is also seeking partnerships with educational institutions and youth programs. Howe implores educators and employers in skilled trades to reach out to explore collaboration opportunities by visiting the website www.horsepowerforkids.org or emailing Howe directly at [email protected].
This story was originally published on February 3, 2025. 
