From the Trenches: Spotlight on CarMax’s Candice Young

As a former Navy ombudsman and a military spouse, Candice Young knows the meaning of “service above self.”

So, when The CarMax Foundation partnered with nonprofit KaBOOM! to bring a new, much-needed, playset to serve military families, Young eagerly volunteered to lead the effort for her store.

Young is a service manager at the CarMax store in San Antonio, Texas. Passionate about community and service, leading the volunteer project was a natural fit for her. Together, she and her fellow store associates presented a playset called an Imagination Playground at Fort Sam Houston Elementary School. Many kids experience significant emotional impact when a parent deploys or returns home from military service, or when they move locations frequently. The opportunity to play is crucial for kids to restore normalcy and stay active and healthy.

“As an ombudsman, I gained an enormous appreciation and understanding of how military life can impact the development and social interactions of military children. The military lifestyle is not an easy path for those involved and to know my company, CarMax, not only supports me as a military spouse, but also supports members of our military community through service is immeasurable,” Young said.

With stores across the country, CarMax has also provided opportunities for Young to continue her professional development alongside her wife’s Navy career.

“I have stayed with CarMax for years as a military spouse because of its numerous growth opportunities and the ability to move around within the company to areas where military bases are located. In fact, at the last two locations my wife has been stationed, there has been a CarMax nearby allowing me to transfer or relocate,” she said.

Young is proud to work with her fellow associates who she says selflessly contribute to improving our communities and looks forward to her next volunteer project.

“I like knowing that volunteer opportunities like this means our military service members know their families are supported and taken care of, and they can focus on their work without worry,” Young said.

CarMax is a founding member of the Hiring 100,000 Military Spouse campaign,  a three-year, national call-to-action campaign for companies and businesses, of all sizes, across America to make a collective commitment to hire 100,000 military spouses. Learn more about the campaign here.