Toyota Donated $2 Million to the American Red Cross

by EVANDER KLUM

Toyota the producer of quality Lexus fog light has recently announced that it will be donating $2 million to the American Red Cross in support of the relief efforts for the California wildfires. This is so far one of the largest donations that the Red Cross has received for the California wildfires. Jim Lentz, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Sales, USA said, "It's our hope that aid may quickly reach those who fell victim to the California wildfires. We owe a debt of gratitude to courageous firefighters and disaster relief organizations like the American Red Cross."

Aside from cash donation, the Japanese automaker will also be donating lift trucks and palette jacks that will be used to distribute relief supplies to the affected areas.

According to Mark W. Everson, President and CEO of the American Red Cross, "Toyota is a valued partner of the American Red Cross. We are extremely grateful for this generous donation that will enable the Red Cross to provide life-saving support to the affected communities in southern California. This donation will be critical in helping the Red Cross provide essential relief in the immediate aftermath of the fires."

The donation of Toyota will be used by Red Cross to assist all of its relief efforts across Southern California. As wildfires continue to burn across Southern California, the Red Cross continues to provide affected residents, firefighters, and other responders with shelter, food, water, clean up and comfort kits as well as medical and mental health services. The Red Cross has around 3,000 workers working on site in Southern California plus volunteers from all other 50 states.

Red Cross is providing the following services:

?Opened 24 shelters providing displaced residents with a safe place to stay ?Mobilized tens of thousands of cots, blankets, comfort kits, and clean-up supplies ?Volunteers are staffing 75 Emergency Response Vehicles, providing hot meals and snacks to residents, firefighters and first responders ?Red Cross mental health counselors are available to help residents and emergency workers in the affected areas manage the stress and fear that accompanies all disasters

This is not the first time that Toyota has supported the Red Cross for a number of years the Japanese automaker has given various aids for disaster relief operations. And an example of which is during the Hurricane Katrina wherein Toyota has donated $2.6 million to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

All assistance given by the American Red Cross is for free and made possible voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. Everybody can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year such as the current California wildfires by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund which will enable Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster.

The American Red Cross also honors donor intent that is in case you want to designate your donation to a specific disaster or area for info call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). All contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243 Washington, DC 20013. Donations may also be made online by simply visiting www.redcross.org/.