BAY HEAD, N.J., March 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota
announced today a significant vehicle donation equivalent to more
than $100,000 to help aid the areas
hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy.
Today, four months from the day the storm made landfall in the
Northeast, the company donated the use of 19 Toyota vehicles to the
region's Red Cross to support relief transportation for one full
year. Additionally, Toyota is giving a brand-new 4Runner SUV to
Saint Paul's United Methodist Church in Bay Head, N.J., to aid in transportation and
local cleanup. These contributions are in addition to a $1 million
donation made by the company to support Sandy relief efforts last
year, as well as five vehicles donated at that time.
The donations were presented to both organizations today at
Saint Paul's United Methodist Church in Bay Head, N.J.
Commenting on the donation, Steve
Haag, assistant general manager for Toyota's New York region, said, "We understand the
ongoing need for Hurricane Sandy relief aid and we want to make
sure the community knows they are still being supported four months
after the disaster." On deciding which Sandy fund to donate to,
Haag shared that "our search quickly led us to the region's Red
Cross and Saint Paul's United Methodist Church, specifically Pastor
Scott Bostwick. Both organizations
are known throughout the region for their dedicated hard work and
we want to honor those making an impact rebuilding their community
after the devastation of Sandy."
Scott Bostwick, Pastor of Saint
Paul's United Methodist Church, offered praise for Toyota's
donations, saying, "Studies show that national crisis donations
taper off after five months. A donation like this from Toyota not
only provides us with great relief aid, but also reassures our
community that our needs aren't going unnoticed or unmet."
"American Red Cross disaster recovery efforts are ongoing across
multiple states affected by Superstorm Sandy, including our efforts
here in counties from the northern edge to the southern tip of
New Jersey," said Nancy Orlando, regional CEO, American Red Cross
South Jersey Region. "We're thrilled to have this fleet of Toyota
vehicles, a generous donation that will enable the Red Cross to
move manpower and resources more efficiently throughout affected
regions."
The Toyota donation unveiling event included remarks from Pastor
Scott Bostwick and from Steven G. Crawford, M.D., Chairman of the Board
of the American Red Cross Jersey Coast Chapter. Members of the Red
Cross also provided details on how and where others can assist in
the relief process. Additional remarks were given by Toyota
executives.
Ways to Help:
To learn more about the Red Cross' Sandy relief efforts and find
out more about how you can get involved, please visit:
http://rdcrss.org/VOKpSS
For more details on the United Methodist Church's disaster
response to Sandy, including how to help or donate, please visit:
http://bit.ly/13p1eIg
Media Contact:
Justine
Navaja
SHIFT Communications for Toyota
646-756-3702
jnavaja@shiftcomm.com
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM)
established operations in North
America in 1957 and currently operates 14 manufacturing
plants. There are more than 1,800 Toyota, Lexus and Scion
dealerships in North America which
sold over 1.8 million vehicles in 2011. Toyota directly employs
more than 37,000 people in North
America and its investment here is currently valued at more
than $23 billion, including sales and
manufacturing operations, research and development, financial
services and design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts,
materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals
nearly $25 billion.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaInAction.com
or www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
SOURCE Toyota Motor of N.A., Inc.