Chevrolet Donates 50 Trucks to Red Cross for Storm Relief

DETROIT, Oct. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Chevrolet today donated 50 Silverado full-size pickup trucks and Express cargo vans to the American Red Cross for use in relief and recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy and other storms buffeting the Eastern seaboard and nearby states.

"It is during disasters like this that we all need to pull together as a country and Chevrolet has a role in that," said General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. "Making these vehicles available quickly where they can do the most good is something we can do right now."

GM's OnStar subsidiary is also supporting the initiative by providing each of the donated vehicles with 300 OnStar Hands-Free Calling minutes and three months of its Directions and Connections plan which includes turn-by-turn navigation services. The trucks are being pulled from existing inventory at dealerships closest to where they are needed.

In addition to the vehicle donation, the GM Foundation earlier donated $250,000 to the Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, which enables the agency to be ready to provide immediate disaster relief anywhere in the country. The money is used to shelter, feed and meet emotional needs of disaster victims. The money also helps feed emergency workers, handle inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provide blood and blood products and help disaster victims access other available resources.

"The impact of Hurricane Sandy is being assessed up and down the East Coast and even further west, and the road to recovery will be long for many families," said Neal Litvack, Chief Development Officer of the American Red Cross. "GM's generous donation of vehicles and the GM Foundation's donation of finances will help the American Red Cross to respond with shelter, food and care, aiding affected residents now and after the storm, as they move toward recovery,"

Anyone interested in providing support to hurricane victims are encouraged to visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make a donation.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year.  Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About the GM Foundation
Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/gmfoundation.

About OnStar
OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the global leading provider of connected safety, security and mobility solutions and advanced information technology. With more than 6 million subscribers in the U.S, Canada and China, OnStar is currently available on more than 40 MY 2013 GM models, as well as available for installation on most other vehicles already on the road with OnStar FMV. More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE General Motors