Update 1: Auto Companies Contribute to Katrina Relief
01 September 2005
Toyota and GM are contributing directly to relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Toyota-affiliated companies are contributing $5,000,000 in direct aid. Toyota itself is providing $2,000,000. Friedkin Companies, the owner of Gulf States Toyota, is contributing another $2,000,000. And Southeast Toyota Distributors is pledging another $1,000,000.
Additionally, Toyota is offering a 90-day extension on finance and lease payments to customers affected by the storm. Toyota is also fully matching employee donations to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Friedkin Disaster Relief Fund.
The GM Foundation and GMAC have made a combined immediate cash donation of $400,000. The GM Foundation has pledged up to an additional $250,000 in matching funds for contributions made to the Hurricane 2005 Relief Fund by GM and GMAC employees through the company’s Global Aid Disaster Relief website.
Ford Motor Company is offering customers affected by Hurricane Katrina the opportunity to defer up to two vehicle payments.
Update 1: Chrysler Group’s philanthropic arm, the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, along with DaimlerChrysler Services, Mercedes-Benz USA, and Freightliner, today announced a joint commitment of $1.1 million in response to Hurricane Katrina.
Isuzu Motors America, Inc., announced that it will match all donations made by its employees to the American Red Cross for support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
I'm suprised they're not donating vehicles to the cause, whatever that means...
Posted by: stomv | 01 September 2005 at 10:58 AM
GM is—some 150 trucks, vans, SUVs, HUMMERs to the American Red Cross.
Posted by: Mike | 01 September 2005 at 11:23 AM
GM has excess inventory to spare. Toyota does not. :-)
Posted by: Caoimhan | 02 September 2005 at 08:47 AM
Are you sure Toyota doesn't have excess inventory? I was sure I wasn't seeing things when the barrage of "end of the year clearance sale" commercials for Toyota was screaming at me from my TV.
Posted by: Lisa | 06 September 2005 at 04:09 AM
HI
I AM A KATRINA VICTIM AND AM LOOKING FOR A CAR FOR MY FAMILY AND MYSELF TO GET US TO OUR JOBS AND SCHOOL . WE HAVE LOST EVERYTHING FROM OUR HOUSE AND CARS. WE HAVE RELOCATED TO ESCONDIDO ,CA WHERE WE ARE STARTING OVER. WE ARE FROM ST BERNARD PARISH WHERE WE WERE FLOODED OUT TO THE OUR ROOF TOP. CAN YOU HELP US. SINCERLY ESTHER
760-294-7059
Posted by: ESTHER | 03 October 2005 at 03:19 AM
Ms. Esther,
Hello and God Bless you and your family. We are from New Orleans,too. We from the 6th Ward. Right there by Circle Food and 'bout roun' Esplanade Avenue. I hope that some people help yall. It is very hard, but Prayer has bought us through. Folks out here are a bit "different" than home.Assalam Alaikum. [email protected]
Posted by: vanessa ratcliff-curtis | 14 May 2007 at 12:42 AM