For Toyota dealers, projects range from food to graduation

It was a day that united Toyota and Lexus dealers from across the country around a single cause: to distribute food to thousands of people in need.

The Toyota Lexus Minority Owners Dealership Association hosted the National COVID-19 Day of Service on May 22.

The TLMODA partnered with the Salvation Army to distribute more than 4,800 packages of food in 24 communities.

Marysville Toyota in Washington was among the stores helping to package and donate food boxes.

"We wanted to reach out and let people know that we indeed care about what is going on in our society," owner Jim Colon said.

During the Day of Service event 230 boxes of food were given away at Marysville Toyota.

Dealership activities such as the Day of Service complement the Japanese automaker's wider virus-fighting campaign, which it has dubbed #USAGAINSTCOVID.

"Giving back to our communities where we have operational facilities has always been part of our philanthropic mission," Toyota spokeswoman Kelly Stefanich said.

In South Carolina, Jim Hudson Lexus-Columbia partnered with Harvest Hope Food Bank on April 15 and has matched donations.

As of mid-July, the food bank received enough contributions to provide more than 2.4 million meals. The goal is to reach 3 million meals by the end of the year, Robert Yeomans, general manager at Jim Hudson Lexus-Columbia, told Automotive News.
Further north, Central Maine Toyota in Waterville hosted a graduation ceremony for Waterville Senior High School. The school's graduation ceremony was canceled due to COVID.

"We had a fully traditional graduation right here at the dealership when the community needed it most," said Chris Gaunce, owner of Central Maine Motors Auto Group.

The dealership hosted more than 800 people on June 11 for the ceremony. Parents watched from their vehicles and listened to the commencement on their car radios.

"It's been the most gratifying, emotional and impactful thing I've done," Gaunce said.