DC SCORES receives 100 Cars for Good-winning van from DARCARS Toyota today

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Today is the big day.

This afternoon at Seaton Elementary School, after what promises to be an exciting final Game Day of the elementary school fall season, we will drive away in a brand-new vehicle — the Toyota Sienna that we won on May 14 through the 100 Cars for Good competition. Thanks to everyone’s incredible support during that voting marathon — our election day — we will now be able to more easily transport soccer equipment to game days and events and take students to special appearances.

Below is the press release about tomorrow’s special ceremony. We would love for you to join us at Seaton. If not, we just want to say THANK YOU! We wouldn’t be having this day if not for your support.

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For Immediate Release

DC SCORES Receives 100 Cars for Good-winning Van from DARCARS Toyota

        With new Sienna Minivan, award-winning after-school program able to expand to serve more low-income DC youth

Washington, DC – (November 2, 2012) – DC SCORES, which provides award-winning after-school programs for low-income youth in Washington, DC, will receive a brand new Toyota Sienna on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 4pm as part of the automaker’s100 Cars for Good program. The Toyota 100 Cars for Good is a national philanthropic initiative which awards 100 cars to deserving nonprofit organizations with winners selected daily on Facebook for 100.

DC SCORES students and Executive Director Amy Nakamoto will receive the Sienna at DC SCORES’ soccer Game Day at Seaton Elementary School in Northwest Washington. They will be joined by DARCARS VP Tammy Darvish, as well as Toyota executives Greg Kirby (Toyota Mid-Atlantic) and Jenean Leatherman (Toyota Financial Services).

"Congratulations to DC SCORES for being selected as the first winner of the second year of the Toyota 100 Cars for Good Program," Kirby said. "Toyota is pleased to be presenting a new Toyota Sienna van to DC SCORES, who’s award-winning after-school program has benefited thousands of students in the Washington, DC, area."

Said Nakamoto: “We are extremely excited to be receiving a van from Toyota and DARCARS Toyota through the 100 Cars for Good program. Thanks to Toyota's generosity and service to our DMV community, we will be able to provide and transport much-needed soccer and writing equipment to over 40 DC public schools who host a DC SCORES after-school program. This will increase our efficiency in using time, money and people to directly impact hundreds of DC students in the coming years. We are very grateful to be part of such a large and effective philanthropic initiative by Toyota.”

DC SCORES was selected as a finalist out of thousands of applicants nationwide and chosen by online voters as this year’s first winner on May 14. Their programs benefit more than 1,450 children at 42 schools across Washington, DC. The new Sienna minivan will support DC SCORES activities that promote physical activity and creativity throughout the city and will help facilitate the organization’s ongoing expansion to new schools in the District. DC SCORES detailed how they will use their new Toyota Sienna in a video, found here.

During the 2012 contest that ran through Aug. 21, Toyota profiled five finalists each day at www.100carsforgood.com where members of the public were invited to vote for the nonprofit they thought could do the most good with a new vehicle. The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of each day won one of six Toyota models. Runners-up each received a $1,000 cash grant from Toyota. A six-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty was also provided for each vehicle, compliments of Toyota Financial Services. 

About DC SCORES:

DC SCORES has a quality, team-based approach to a well-rounded childhood, providing youth with the arts, athletics, and academics that will engage, enrich and improve their lives. DC SCORES builds teams through after-school programs for over 1,450 low-income DC youth at 42 schools by instilling self-expression, physical fitness, and a sense of community. DC SCORES accomplishes this in an innovative model combining poetry and spoken word, soccer and service-learning year-round. DC SCORES has worked with more than 7,000 students since its founding in 1994 and aims to serve every child in the District of Columbia. DC SCORES is an affiliate of America SCORES, with organizations in 14 cities.  Additional information is available at www.DCSCORES.org.

About Toyota:

Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants in eight states. There are nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in the U.S. which sold more than 1.64 million vehicles in 2011. Toyota directly employs more than 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design facilities. Toyota’s annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from U.S. suppliers totals more than $25 billion.

Toyota is deeply committed to being a great community partner and is focused on supporting programs in ways that achieve long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, with a particular concentration on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than half a billion dollars to philanthropic programs across the U.S.
 

For more information on Toyota, please visit http://www.ToyotaInAction.com.