Toyota Giving 100 Cars to 100 Nonprofits -- Less Than One Week Left to Apply

TORRANCE, Calif., March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Time is running out for nonprofits to apply for Toyota's 100 Cars for Good program, which will be giving 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days.  Winners of these vehicles will be selected through public voting on Facebook.

Applications will close in less than one week – at 12:00 pm PT on Monday, March 26 or once 5,000 applications have been received, whichever comes first.  Complete information is available at www.100carsforgood.com.

How 100 Cars for Good Works: 

• An independent panel of experts will identify 500 finalists from the applications received.  Finalists will be notified in April.  Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and non-profit Native American or Alaskan tribes with sovereignty are eligible to apply.
• Beginning on Monday, May 14, the public will be able to vote on Facebook for the organizations they think should win a new car at www.100carsforgood.com.  (This links to a special 100 Cars for Good Facebook page.)
• Five finalist organizations will be profiled each day for 100 consecutive days.  Whichever nonprofit has the most votes at the end of the day will win a vehicle. 
• Finalists will be eligible for one of six Toyota models.  The four runners up every day will each receive a $1,000 grant from Toyota.
• Jim Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, commented, "At Toyota, we appreciate what a big difference a new car or truck can make for organizations that are doing so much to improve lives and strengthen communities across America.  Over the past 20 years, Toyota has contributed more than half a billion dollars to nonprofits throughout the U.S.  100 Cars for Good allows us to build on that commitment in new ways, putting the public in the 'driver's seat' as we work to help community organizations broaden their impact."

Helping Nonprofits Build Digital Marketing and Social Media Skills:

• 100 Cars for Good is also an opportunity for Toyota to help nonprofits develop or expand their digital marketing skills.  As part of this commitment, the company will provide every finalist with a digital video camera, training toolkit and free online advertising credits to help support their 100 Cars for Good campaign.
• Molly Reeser, Executive Director of Detroit's Camp Casey, one of last year's 100 Cars winners noted, "In addition to a new truck, Toyota gave us the training and resources we needed to get more sophisticated about social media marketing for the long-term.  This has had a real impact, with our 'likes' on Facebook jumping five-fold very quickly."

SOURCE Toyota