NFI Empire’s latest charity build continues a partnership that has already generated more than $865,000 for The Brett Boyer Foundation.
NORTH EAST, Pa. — For the team at NFI Empire, rebuilding a classic truck is about more than craftsmanship and performance. The company’s newest project is being created to help children and families facing congenital heart disease while celebrating people with Down syndrome.
NFI Empire, a subsidiary of Newport Gold Inc., has launched Project REBORN, an annual custom-vehicle initiative benefiting The Brett Boyer Foundation. The first vehicle, Project Reborn-001, is expected to be auctioned during the foundation’s Red Bird Games in Brentwood, Tennessee.
The initiative builds on two previous NFI Empire projects that generated more than $865,000 at auction for the foundation.
“Every employee within NFI Empire looks forward to how they can contribute to these projects because of the impact it makes and the ‘Why’ behind The Brett Boyer Foundation,” Justin Fried, CEO of Newport Gold and NFI Empire, said in announcing the project.
Project Reborn-001 combines automotive history with modern engineering. NFI Empire is merging a 1979 Chevrolet Crew Cab K30 four-wheel-drive dually with components from a modern GMC Sierra 3500 Duramax Diesel.
The result is intended to retain the appearance and character of a 1970s truck while offering a modern drivetrain, suspension, technology, comfort, and handcrafted interior.
But the truck’s most important feature may be the mission behind it.
The Brett Boyer Foundation was established in 2017 by Ellen and Bo Boyer in memory of their daughter, Sadie Brett Boyer, who was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect.
The Nashville-based nonprofit supports congenital heart disease research, families and medical providers while working to raise awareness and celebrate the dignity and abilities of people with Down syndrome.
NFI Empire hopes Project REBORN can become something larger than a single fundraising vehicle. By giving each annual build a Project Reborn serial number, the company wants to create an initiative that other automotive businesses can support and rally around.
That spirit of collaboration already has a strong foundation.
In 2023, NFI Empire restored a custom 1932 Ford Roadster that sold for $365,000 at a Brett Boyer Foundation charity event. The following year, the company completed a customized 1978 Ford Bronco in less than 60 days. That vehicle sold for $500,000.
“We’ve had two previous successful record-breaking auctions for the foundation, and we intend to do it again!” Chris Nichols, executive chairman of Newport Gold, said.
Together, the projects demonstrate how a company’s specialized skills can become a form of giving. Instead of simply writing a check, employees and partners contribute craftsmanship, creativity, time and expertise — turning something they know how to build into resources that can help families.
That model reflects a broader opportunity for businesses and communities: meaningful service does not always have to begin with what an organization can donate. Sometimes it begins by asking what people already know how to do — and how those talents can serve someone else.
Bruce Petillo, founder of Heartitude, said initiatives such as Project REBORN demonstrate the possibilities created when people connect their talents to a compassionate purpose.
“When people take what they do best and put it in service of others, generosity becomes something much bigger than a donation,” Petillo said. “It becomes a shared effort that can bring hope to families, inspire an entire community and remind us how much good we can accomplish together.”
For the families supported by The Brett Boyer Foundation, the finished truck ultimately represents more than polished metal, horsepower and automotive craftsmanship.
It represents people choosing to build something together — and using that work to give children and families greater hope for the road ahead.
Source: NFI Empire/Newport Gold Inc. press release, July 28, 2026.