The biannual Caffeine & Carburetors that took place last month raised more than $16,000 for local causes.
Doug Zumbach on June 22, 2025, at Caffeine & Carburetors. Credit: Michael Dinan
On June 22, thousands of people filled the streets of downtown New Canaan to admire the specialty and antique cars on display at the event founded by Doug Zumbach, owner of the coffee shop at Pine and Grove Streets.
After benefitting the New Canaan Community Foundation and Waveny Park Conservancy last year, Caffeine & Carburetors in its first installment of 2025 raised thousands for the Automotive Assistance Fund. It helps New Canaan residents facing financial hardship with essential car repairs and maintenance.
“We started the Automotive Assistance Fund because we saw a gap in the funding that’s available through New Canaan Human Services,” Director of Business Development of Caffeine & Carburetors Claire Drexler said. “They’re not allowed to cover any automotive-related costs for folks that are a part of their community. The fund allows us to step up and cover those costs for local families in need.”
June 22, 2025, Caffeine & Carburetors. Credit: Michael Dinan
The program is a collaboration among Caffeine & Carburetors, the New Canaan Community Foundation, C&H Auto, and the New Canaan Department of Human Services.
“The program provides crucial financial support to residents in need, ensuring their vehicles are safe and reliable,” Director of the Human Services Department Marcy Rand said. “It helps families get their children to activities, enables individuals to commute to work, and ensures everyone has a dependable mode of transportation.”
The money raised at Caffeine & Carburetors will be split between the automotive fund and the Chamber of Commerce’s “Shop New Canaan” gift card program, Drexler said.
June 22, 2025, Caffeine & Carburetors. Credit: Michael Dinan
In addition, Caffeine & Carburetors partnered with Vineyard Vines during the event. The retail store opened early and contributed 20% of its proceeds for the day to the Automotive Assistance Fund.
Drexler said she hopes the fund will continue to help residents for a very long time.
“We’ve talked about finding a way to give new vehicles to people in the future,” she said. “We’d rather not just keep putting a band-aid on a wound that’s not going away. We want to be able to give someone a new car if they need it.”
The second Caffeine & Carburetors of 2025 will be held Oct. 19 at Waveny. Check here for details and registration information.
Sadly, they would not help me with my car repairs.
While misfiring is not classified as a safety issue under the guidelines of the CCAAP program, we understand how frustrating it can be when a vehicle isn’t running smoothly.
C&H did perform several important services on your vehicle, including an oil change, filter replacement, and new bulb installation, all aimed at improving safety and reliability. The primary goal of CCAAP is to ensure as many residents as possible have access to safe, operational vehicles.
Human Services is deeply grateful for the work CCAAP is doing in our community, and we remain hopeful that in the future, we’ll be able to expand our support to include safe, used vehicles for residents in need.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts—it helps us grow and serve better.
Love the fact C&C gives back to the community! Thank you.