PLANO, Texas, May 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to
further support Team USA's
Paralympic athletes as they pursue their sport dreams and in
partnership with the United States Olympic & Paralympic
Committee (USOPC), Toyota is excited to make history with the
creation of nearly $5 million in
stipend and sponsorship opportunities that will directly impact the
lives of eligible U.S. Paralympic athletes aiming to compete at the
Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 or the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing
2022.
![Toyota makes a game-changing move to support the U.S. Paralympic Movement and Paralympic athletes. Toyota makes a game-changing move to support the U.S. Paralympic Movement and Paralympic athletes.](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1511144/Team_USA_Paralympic_athletes.jpg)
Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond cars and wants to
support people in their efforts to get across town, across a room,
and through life. Toyota also believes in the power of sport,
and its ability to connect people with diverse backgrounds as they
compete with mutual respect towards a common goal. Through sport,
the Olympic and Paralympic Games bring together the entire world to
celebrate the highest realization of humanity, and it is the elite
Paralympic athletes who truly demonstrate that when a person is
free to move, anything is possible.
"As a TOP partner of the International Olympic Committee and
International Paralympic Committee, and in alignment with the
values of Toyota, we're proud to have the opportunity to support
all eligible Team USA Paralympic
athletes who will represent our country on the world's largest
stage," said Lisa Materazzo, group
vice president, Toyota Marketing, Toyota Motor North America. "We
welcome these athletes into the Team Toyota family and look forward
to playing just a small role in their journey to Tokyo and Beijing. We hope our support will contribute
to driving more awareness for all Paralympic athletes worldwide and
the Paralympic Games."
Together, the stipend and sponsorship opportunities will offer
up to $5 million in monetary support
to eligible athletes to help their sport and the pursuit of their
dreams:
- Stipend: In partnership with the U.S. Olympic &
Paralympic Foundation and utilizing the newly created Toyota U.S.
Paralympic Fund, a one-time stipend of $3,000 will be made to all eligible Team
USA Paralympic athletes who are
currently training and in contention to represent the United States at the Tokyo and Beijing Games.
-
- Individuals can also make additional donations by visiting
https://support.teamusa.org/Toyota. Dollars raised will provide
direct support to Paralympic athletes and the programs that help
them reach their full potential.
- Sponsorship Opportunities: Toyota will also offer
sponsorship opportunities to athletes named to the U.S. Paralympic
Team for both the Tokyo and
Beijing Games. Athletes will have
the opportunity to opt-in to accept the sponsorship.
"As the Paralympic Movement continues to prosper in the U.S.,
we're encouraged by the commitments made by partners like Toyota,
which foster greater affinity and exposure for Team USA's dedicated Paralympic athletes," said
Sarah Hirshland, chief executive
officer, USOPC. "The extra funds and expanded sponsorship
opportunities give our Paralympic athletes more time to focus on
training as they prepare for their goal of representing our country
on the global stage."
"I am 16 and have been competing in Para track and field since I
was 8 years old. Unfortunately, I have seen many of my fellow
adaptive athletes quit competing because of the expense for
equipment, travel and training," said Ezra
Frech, U.S. Paralympic hopeful and Para track and field
athlete. "This program should inspire more young athletes to keep
grinding. Thank you, Toyota, for your commitment to Team
USA's Paralympic athletes!"
In addition to the fund, Toyota has been an active supporter of
Paralympic athletes and adaptive sports. In 2015, the company
became the official worldwide mobility partner of the Olympic and
Paralympic Committees for the 2017-2024 period. In addition, Toyota
is a proud partner of Team USA and
several Paralympic National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and Paralympic
national teams, including: the National Wheelchair Basketball
Association; U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing; U.S. Paralympics
Cycling; U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing; U.S. Paralympics
Snowboarding; U.S. Paralympics Swimming; U.S. Paralympics Track
& Field; USA Curling and the
USA Wheelchair National Curling
Team; USA Hockey and the U.S.
National Sled Team; and USA
Triathlon and the Toyota U.S. Paratriathlon National Team. Toyota
also has long-standing relationships with the Adaptive Action
Sports (AAS) and the Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF).
As a mobility company, Toyota is also lending its engineering
expertise to Paralympic athletes, who may require specialized
equipment or utilize human guides when they compete. Prior to the
Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Toyota Racing Development
(TRD) worked with three-time Paralympian and Team Toyota alpine
skier Danelle Umstead and her
husband and sight guide, Rob, at a North
Carolina wind tunnel to provide engineering feedback on body
positioning, drafting and speeds. And, looking ahead to the
Beijing Games, TRD is
collaborating with the U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing team to
develop a sit-ski, which the team hopes to use in competition.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the
cultural fabric in North America
for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable,
next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus
our 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs
more than 47,000 in North America.
The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and
assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14
manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in
Alabama that begins production in
2021.
Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights
the way it partners with community, civic, academic and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move,
anything is possible. For more information about Toyota,
visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About Team USA
Team
USA is the world's largest and
most diverse team of athletes from across the United States who compete at the Olympic,
Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games.
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, founded in
1894, serves as the National Olympic Committee and National
Paralympic Committee for the United
States and is responsible for protecting, supporting and
empowering Team USA athletes. For
more information, visit TeamUSA.org.
About the United States Olympic & Paralympic
Foundation
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation is a
501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the primary source of
philanthropic support for Team USA. Founded in 2013, the USOPF
generates critical financial resources that help Team USA athletes
reach their full potential, both on and off the field of play. One
hundred percent of gifts to the foundation go directly to athletes
and the high-performance programming that supports them. The USOPF
is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and led by
President Christine Walshe. Supporting the USOPF and its staff is
the USOPF Board of Directors, headed by Chairman Gordon
Crawford.
Media Contacts:
Leigh Anne
Sessions
Toyota Motor North America
469-292-5849
leigh.sessions@toyota.com
Marissa Borjon
Toyota Motor North America
469-292-6395
marissa.borjon@toyota.com
Annemarie Blanco
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
719-646-6921
annemarie.blanco@usopc.org
For Toyota customer inquiries, please call: 800-331-4331
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