BALTIMORE, Feb. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As temperatures
fluctuate this winter across the country, one thing for sure is
snowy, icy and even cold rainy days are here through March and warm
winter boots and socks are still a "must have" in Baltimore.
To protect families from the cold and rain, on Saturday, February 4, 2017, Toyota Motor North
America through its "Toyota Walk In My Boots" community
outreach project held in conjunction with the Motor Trend
International Auto Show-Baltimore activities, stepped in to help
Baltimore families by providing
new insulated boots and socks to more than 200 participants of
The Salvation Army (TSA) Booth House Shelter, a homeless
shelter for women, men and families with children; and TSA Boys
and Girls Club's of Franklin Square and Middle River.
Without adequate clothing, often people experiencing
homelessness and low-income families have a much higher risk than
the general population of developing exposure-related conditions
such as hypothermia and frostbite. "With the need greater than ever
because of the often cold winter days, we are blessed to have
support from good corporate citizens like Toyota, who are 'Doing
the Most Good' by raising awareness of our mission to feed, shelter
and clothe those who are less fortunate," said Major Gene A. Hogg, area commander, The
Salvation Army of Central Maryland.
If you are poor, you are essentially an illness, an accident, or
a paycheck away from living on the streets. In Maryland in
2016, it was estimated that 29,670 people were homeless, up 6% from
2015. Nearly 51% of all homeless people in the State of Maryland live in Baltimore City and Baltimore County alone. Meanwhile,
nearly 24% of Baltimore's
population is living below the poverty line, which is $20,090 a year for a family of three.
"At Toyota, we want to build great cars and trucks as well as
help build great communities; and in times like these, we must
remember to help one another," said John
Ridgeway, corporate manager, CSCE, Toyota Financial
Services. "We want the work that is being done at The
Salvation Army of Central Maryland
to continue for years to come. And, we hope that our donation
will help to enrich lives…one step at a time."
With this donation, many families will be shielded from an
unpredictable winter. Toyota also donated $15,000 to The Salvation Army of Central Maryland enabling them to continue
to provide refuge for children and families in times of
crisis. They also treated the families to a "Thanksgiving-style" buffet luncheon catered by
JD's Catering. Baltimore Native MESHELLE, the Indie-Mom of
Comedy, gave the families some encouraging words as she grew up in
Baltimore and understands the many
struggles that families are facing right now.
The Salvation Army Booth House Shelter provides residents
with emergency shelter and transitional shelter for up to 90 days
for women, men and families with children who have become victims
of unfortunate life circumstances such as house fire, job loss,
foreclosure or domestic violence. Through the shelter they
can receive emergency assistance, case management and pastoral care
and worship and special services such as utility assistance, down
payment assistance toward first month's rent, food and clothing
assistance. Meanwhile, The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of
Franklin Square and Middle
River, works with families, schools, and outside
agencies to provide at-risk youth, ages 6 to 18, with fun
educational, recreational, cultural, and technological experiences,
helping them to build new friendships, learn new skills, and
explore their own talents and strengths.
About Toyota Motor North America
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell
vehicle, is committed to advancing mobility through our Toyota and
Lexus brands. Over the past 60 years, we've produced more
than 30 million cars and trucks in North
America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the
U.S.) and directly employ more than 44,000 people (more than 34,000
in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly
1,500 in the U.S.) sold almost 2.6 million cars and trucks (2.45
million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and about 85 percent of all Toyota
vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road
today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive
know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to
assist more people move more places. For more information about
Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America