Volkswagen Group of America Announces $1M Donation to MLK Memorial Foundation

HERNDON, Va., Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. today announced a $1 million gift to the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. The gift will support the memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. honoring Dr. King.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110823/DC56261-a)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110823/DC56261-b)

"This donation is a concrete memorial to Volkswagen Group's long standing commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion," said Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. "We see it as a way to thank our customers and employees across this great country that represent every creed and color."

"It is so fitting that Volkswagen Group is part of this historical commemoration of our nation's greatest civil rights leader," said Harry E. Johnson, Senior, President and CEO of the Memorial Foundation.  "With their headquarters in the greater Washington area, it is clear that Volkswagen Group is putting down roots and giving back to the community."

Located on the Tidal Basin, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial creates a visual line of leadership between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. The memorial will be an engaging landscape experience conveying four fundamental and recurring themes throughout Dr. King's life – democracy, justice, hope, and love – and features the use of natural elements including water, stone, and trees. A 450-foot inscription wall will feature more than a dozen Dr. King quotes engraved into granite to serve as a lasting testament and reminder of Dr. King's humanitarian vision. The memorial will include the "Mountain of Despair" and the "Stone of Hope," which will feature a 30-foot sculpture of Dr. King.

"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood for hope, freedom and justice.  Volkswagen is proud to be among the many groups to honor his life and his message.  We are grateful to be part of this historic moment," added Browning.

About Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, the largest carmaker in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It houses the U.S. operations of a worldwide family of distinguished and exciting brands including Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Volkswagen, as well as VW Credit, Inc. Founded in 1955, the company's headquarters are in Herndon, Va.

Volkswagen Group of America brings to the U.S. vehicles that marry the science of engineering and the art of styling, with the goal of offering attractive, safe, and environmentally sound automobiles that are competitive and set world standards in their respective classes.

The company has approximately 4,000 employees in the United States and sells its vehicles through an 800-strong dealer network. For more information, visit www.volkswagengroupamerica.com.

About the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.
A Memorial honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be built on the National Mall, situated adjacent to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and in a direct line between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.  Congress passed Joint Resolutions in 1996 authorizing Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. to establish a Memorial honoring Dr. King to be built in Washington, D.C.  The ceremonial groundbreaking took place on November 13, 2006, and the Memorial will be completed in 2011.  McKissack & McKissack / Turner Construction Company / Gilford Corporation / Tompkins Builders, Inc. Joint Venture will serve as the Design-Build Team. McKissack & McKissack is the oldest minority-owned architectural firm in the United States. For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.buildthedream.org.

SOURCE Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.