Toyota Creates $1M Grant to Tackle Mobility Challenges in North Texas

PLANO, Texas, Jan. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To help address mobility challenges in North Texas, Toyota announced a $1 million impact grant in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, available for local non-profits, academic institutions and social entrepreneurs.  The grant, a joint program between Toyota Motor North America and Toyota Financial Services, requires collaboration among up to five organizations.

"By engaging multiple local partners on a single issue, we can build on ideas, pool resources and achieve greater impact in the communities we serve," said Mike Goss, general manager, Toyota Social Innovation. "The initiative is part of larger community programing aimed at creating public-private partnerships to solve societal issues."

The grant, which provides funds to implement a two-year program, is geared toward transportation mobility issues and social mobility issues. It requires applicants to also consider the scalability of their programs. Following the first year of the grant, the awardees will have the opportunity to partner with Toyota to further improve outcomes.  

"We believe that new technologies and approaches can increase access to mobility for underserved communities, low income including seniors and people with disabilities, and that access to reliable, safe, affordable transport systems has direct social, equality and economic implications," said Karen Ideno, vice president of product, marketing, corporate social responsibility and communications, Toyota Financial Services. "By tapping into organizations on the ground through a collaborative approach to innovation, we can foster real change and improve quality of life in our communities."

According to recent Census figures, The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the second fastest-growing metro in the nation. However many parts of the DFW area lack convenient access to jobs.

"We are proud to partner with Toyota to implement a unique program aimed at accelerating positive change in the community­­­­," said Jennifer Sampson, president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. "With nearly one third of residents in North Texas one crisis away from financial distress, finding new and innovative ways to address mobility is critical. Toyota's leadership will amplify our collective ability to make a more secure and meaningful future for everyone in our region."                      

Further information on the grant will be available at www.toyotagrants.com/impact from Feb. 1, 2017.

About Toyota Financial Services

Toyota Financial Services (TFS) is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota in the United States, offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and Toyota Lease Trust. TFS also offers extended service contracts through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS). The company services Lexus dealers and customers using the Lexus Financial Services brand. TFS currently employs approximately 3,100 associates nationwide, and has assets totaling nearly $116 billion. It is part of a worldwide network of comprehensive financial services offered by Toyota Financial Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation. We announce material financial information using the investor relations section of our website (www.toyotafinancial.com) and SEC filings. We use these channels, press releases, and social media to communicate about our company, our services and other issues. While not all information we post on social media is of a material nature, some information could be material. Therefore, we encourage those interested in our company to review our posts on Twitter at www.twitter.com/toyotafinancial.  

Points of Light has named TFS one of its Civic 50, which recognizes the most community-minded companies in the nation.  For more information about the company's support of financial literacy, youth development programs, and other community initiatives, please visit www.tfsinthecommunity.com.

About Toyota Motor North America

Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to advancing mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands.  Over the past 60 years, we've produced more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.).  Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold almost 2.6 million cars and trucks (2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and about 85 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.  

Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to assist more people move more places. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com. 

Media Contact

Aaron Fowles
Toyota Motor North America
469-292-1097
Aaron.Fowles@toyota.com

Justin Leach
Toyota Financial Services
310-468-2762  
Justin_leach@toyota.com

SOURCE Toyota Motor North America