Toyota Increases Pledge to Food Bank For New York City to 1.25 Million Meals

NEW YORK, June 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota this afternoon announced a substantial increase in its pledge to Food Bank For New York City. Originally, Toyota planned to donate one meal for each video view of the short documentary about its work with Food Bank, up to 250,000 meals.  Toyota has increased the amount up to 1 million meals, due to the overwhelming response to the documentary.  This is in addition to the 250,000 meals Toyota has already donated to Food Bank. 

The film, which can be viewed here, was produced by Supermarche, led by Rel Schulman and Henry Joost, creators of the feature films Catfish and Paranormal Activity 3 and 4. 

The short film chronicles how a team from Toyota collaborated with staff at Metro World Child, a mobile food distribution unit that distributes emergency food boxes to community members in the Far Rockaways, many of whom are still struggling to get back on their feet more than six months after Superstorm Sandy. Their shared goal was simple, but critical – enhance Metro World Child's operations to help it deliver more food, more quickly, to more New Yorkers in need.  For more details, please click here.

Media Contacts:
Jonathan Lowe
[email protected]
347.598.1520

Carol Schneider 
[email protected]
212.566.7855, ext. 2231

About The Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC)
The Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC) is a not for profit corporation affiliated with Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA).  Established in 1992, TSSC shares Toyota's production system knowledge with North American manufacturing companies and other community organizations. In 2011, TSSC became a not for profit in order to donate on-site support to help worthy nonprofits maximize their impact. Since its inception, nearly 200 organizations have benefited from TSSC's services. TSSC's team is comprised of team members from Toyota manufacturing affiliates in North America and from TEMA headquarters in Erlanger, KY.  To learn more about TSSC please visit tssc.com.

About Toyota
Toyota established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates 14 manufacturing plants. There are more than 1,800 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold over 1.8 million vehicles in 2011. Toyota directly employs more than 37,000 people in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $23 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals nearly $25 billion.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaInAction.com or www.ToyotaNewsroom.com. 

About Food Bank For New York City
Food Bank For New York City recognizes 30 years as the city's major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs.  As the city's hub for integrated food poverty assistance, Food Bank tackles the hunger issue on three fronts — food distribution, income support and nutrition education — all strategically guided by its research. Through its network of approximately 1,000 community-based member programs citywide, Food Bank helps provide 400,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers in need. Food Bank's hands-on nutrition education program in the public schools reaches thousands of children, teens and adults. Income support services including food stamps, free tax assistance for the working poor and the Earned Income Tax Credit put millions of dollars back in the pockets of low-income New Yorkers, helping them to achieve greater dignity and independence. Learn how you can help at www.foodbanknyc.org. 

SOURCE Toyota