Toxichawk Toy Drive & Car Meet is scheduled for Dec. 16 at Elk Grove Dodge
(FOX40.COM) –What started as a way to share his love for rare and customized cars on social media turned into a movement to bring positivity into the Elk Grove community through a holiday toy drive.
“I started posting car content on social media just for the fun of it,” 23-year-old Elk Grove resident Baldeep Singh said to FOX40.com. “As I kept posting and progressed, many people started showing support.”
In less than two years, Singh went from just a few followers on social media to nearly 90,000 people who look forward to his digital content.
Singh is now using his influence in the car scene to host a toy drive and car meet for the community he grew up in. It’s scheduled to happen Dec. 16 at Elk Grove Dodge and is expected to include nearly 100 show cars- some worth millions of dollars, local food vendors, and other members of the community who want to be a part of “doing good.”
“I started off posting things you don’t see every day like peanut-butter-colored car interiors. It was an aesthetic of someone who works hard and can afford nice things. I wanted to motivate people,” Singh said.
Singh’s most popular feature is his customized Jeep Trackhawk which he named Toxichawk after a humorous #staytoxic trend on social media. Although he presents a lavish lifestyle today- that wasn’t always the case.
Singh comes from a family of immigrants from Punjab. He said his mother was a stay-at-home mom and his dad provided for the family by working at restaurants, cutting grass, and doing whatever else he could do to provide for their family. Seeing his parents and others within his community work hard inspired him to make something great of himself.
“I did well in school and made some smart investments to get where I am today,” Singh said.
Singh is now a popular content creator and influencer on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. He grew his following by showcasing luxury cars and customizations, but he said he recently realized that his platform had a deeper calling than material things.
“I was approached by a kid who recognized me on social media,” Singh said. “He knew my name and everything. He told me ‘thank you for making turbans cool again.’”
Singh said that was a defining moment in the path he would later take. Without explanation Singh knew what the kid meant by his statement, and it was an emotional moment for him.
“It made me think about my past. When I was in elementary school and junior high there weren’t many other Punjabi kids who wore a turban on campus,” Singh said. “I would get made fun of for my turban. It (turban) was always getting picked or pulled at – or told it looked like a cupcake wrapper. Kids would try to pull it off.”
Singh said when he was younger he wanted to stop wearing his turban because of the struggles he faced, but as an adult wearing it is important to him. He said in his religion they believe that wisdom is kept in their head and hair symbolizes a connection to God. As a part of the faith, they wear turbans to protect the sacredness of their hair from sun damage and other factors.
After he was approached by the kid, Singh said he realized he could make a bigger impact in his community and decided to give back to local kids who may look up to him. Hence, the ‘Toxichawk Toy drive & Car Meet’.
“When I was a kid my family couldn’t afford toys. I didn’t realize it then, but we definitely struggled,” Singh said. “Back then I wanted to be able to have toys. There are families now going through the same thing. The least I can do now is give back to who I once was.”
Elk Grove Dodge General Manager Marino Vecchioli said he was honored when Singh approached him about hosting the event. They met after Vecchioli sold Singh his latest Trackhawk.
“Charity has always been something we valued and participated in over the years,” Vecchioli told FOX40.com.
Vecchioli is a part of Knights Automotive Group which recently bought out Lasher Auto, the former owner of Elk Grove Dodge.
“We’re new in town and we thought this would be a great way to officially introduce ourselves to the community,” Vecchioli said. “I got really good vibes from Baldeep. He was very organized in his presentation and I thought the toy drive was a good cause to put our name on. Hopefully, we can do it year after year.”
ToxicHawk Toy Drive & Car Meet is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 8575 Laguna Grove Drive. All toy donations will reportedly be delivered to UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
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