E. Norriton, Pa., October 13, 2011 – This month, the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Philadelphia Auto Show, along with 163 of its dealer members, will distribute 22,548 brand new winter coats to less fortunate children living throughout the Greater Philadelphia region as part of its fourth annual Driving Away the Cold program.
“This initiative has grown every year; it’s been awe-inspiring to watch,” said Kevin Mazzucola, executive director of the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation and Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia. “We started back in 2008 after we learned of the need for new winter coats amongst our area’s less fortunate children. We distributed 17,000 new coats then. Each year, we’ve been able to do more and more. This would not be possible without the participation of our dealer members. It hasn’t been an easy four years for them given the recent industry turmoil and state of the economy. However, despite that, each year they’ve signed up without hesitation and in droves. This year, we have more than 90 percent of our members participating, which is our highest participation rate to date, and we’ll donate our largest number of new coats yet. This program has truly resonated with the dealers. They know the need and they are committed to helping those in their communities. Like I said, it’s awe-inspiring.”
The Driving Away the Cold program is a two-part program. Every year, the Foundation jump starts the annual campaign with a donation of 10,000 new child-size coats to the overall effort. The Foundation then invites area new car dealers to continue the giving by participating in a special month-long campaign, titled WE PLEDGE. Through this supplemental program, 163 participating dealerships pledged an additional brand new winter coat to a child in need when a vehicle was sold on-site during the month of September. An additional 11,620 new coats were donated through the WE PLEDGE campaign, making the grand total for the 2011 effort top 22,500 and the four-year campaign total exceed 79,000.
“The next phase of our program is now distributing the pledged new coats,” added Mary Lynn Alvarino, director of operations, Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation and Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia. “This will be done via two ways. Some dealers will deliver the new coats to their selected beneficiaries themselves while others will opt to have the Foundation distribute them where the need is greatest. Over the next two weeks, our staff and dealer members will be in contact with more than 60 social service agencies, orphanages, homeless shelters, area YMCAs and more to get the new coats to children who need them most. It’s community collaboration at its best.”
The Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation was able to secure the approximately 22,500 coats for distribution this month via Chester County-based Operation Warm and its respective coat suppliers. The participating dealerships of Driving Away the Cold are all located throughout the five-county region of Philadelphia and members of the aforementioned Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation. For a full list of participants, please visit www.caringforkids.com.