Dracut college student’s love of rare cars helps feed those in need

DRACUT, Mass. — Twenty-year-old Alex ‘Slimey’ Lambert has a passion for cars.

“I like all different types of cars, but my favorite are mainly exotic, such as Porsches, Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s,” he said.

The Dracut native, who is a junior at Bentley University, has turned his love of rare cars into a way to help feed people in need. In 2017, while still in high school and before he even had his license, Alex organized his own car show. It’s called the ‘Cars and Cans Car Show.’

The event has been held every year since, except in 2020 when it was canceled due to Covid.

“When cars show up, what we ask for is a donation of one can per spectator, or 3 cans per car, or a cash donation. Any of those help and all benefits go to the food bank as a non-profit event,” Lambert said.

The Cars and Cans Car Shows have raised more than $28,000 -- plus food -- for the Dracut Food Pantry and the Merrimack Valley Food Bank.

“We collected enough food for 1,225 meals for people in our community,” said Amy Pessia, executive director of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank.

Alex has been recognized by the Massachusetts House of Representatives, the U.S. House of Representatives and also by his hometown of Dracut for his charity work. The Dracut Food Pantry is one of more than 100 programs that receive food from the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, which is so grateful for Alex’s help.

“His impact of the food donations are so significant that they’ve allowed us to get people food during the toughest time of the year, which is the summer,” Pessia said.

The Merrimack Valley Food Bank serves about 70,000 people per month in 30 different communities. Alex hopes to make his ‘Cars and Cans Car Show’ an annual event.

If you have a Positively Massachusetts story idea, contact Boston 25 anchor Chris Flanagan at PositivelyMA@Boston25.com.

Download the free Boston 25 News app for up-to-the-minute push alerts