In our fourth year, we warmed the hearts of 22,548 underprivileged youngsters with the gift of a new winter coat. October 2011 was Driving Away the Cold month. We delivered these coats to local YMCAs and other non-profit organizations in order to get the coats to the children who need them most. With the support of 163 new car dealerships, Driving Away the Cold has given the gift of warmth to over 79,000 children since 2008.
The federal definition of poverty is a family of four living on an annual income below $22,350. In Pennsylvania, statistics from the National Center for Children in Poverty tell us that 469,000 children fall into this unpleasant category. When we double the annual income to just $44,700 for that same family of four, the number of affected children skyrockets to over 1 million. We know that at least 169,000 children in the five-county Philadelphia area can be defined as living in poverty. Driving Away the Cold was designed to ensure that financial classifications do not define the lives of these children.
For low income and poor families, parents struggle with choices every day. Food or electricity? Clothes or rent? The gift of a new winter coat to a child in need allows for just one easy choice and it warms the body and soul. It supercharges the recipient’s self esteem and helps him or her to arrive to school warm, on time and ready to learn. It reminds that child that he or she is important.
As it has in the past, the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation jump started the 2011 Driving Away the Cold program with 10,000 new child-size coats to be distributed this fall through local branches of the YMCA. To complement this effort, 163 Dealer Members of the ADAGP supported the We Pledge portion of the program by donating an additional new coat for each car sold in their dealerships during the month of September. Together we are making a dent in the overwhelming numbers stated above. We are directly touching the lives of thousands and fulfill a need so basic that most of us take it for granted.
Through our strong relationship with Operation Warm, we are able to purchase new coats at a very competitive price. Thanks to this partnership, 2011was our most successful year yet.
The dealerships listed below generously supported our program this fall. We are very grateful for each of them.
A & T Chevrolet - Sellersville
A & T Subaru - Sellersville
Anthony's Chrysler Jeep Dodge - Elverson
Ardmore Nissan - Ardmore
Ardmore Toyota - Ardmore
Audi Conshocken
Audi Warrington
Audi Willow Grove
Audi Wynnewood
Bergey's Buick GMC - Souderton
Bergey's Chevrolet - Colmar
Bergey's Chrysler Jeep Dodge - Souderton
Bergey's Ford - Ambler
Bergey's Lincoln - Lansdale
Bermont Motors - Gilbertsville
Bill Marsh Ford - Newtown
BMW of the Main Line - Bala Cynwyd
Brian Hoskins Ford - Coatesville
Bryner Chevrolet - Jenkintown
Burdumy Motors - Huntingdon Valley
C & C Ford Sales - Horsham
Carfagno Chevrolet - Plymouth Meeting
Carousel Hyundai - West Chester
Central City Toyota - Philadelphia
Chapman Chevrolet - Philadelphia
Chapman Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM - Horsham
Chapman Ford Lincoln Volkswagen - Philadelphia
Chapman Nissan - Philadelphia
Ciocca Hyundai - Quakertown
Colonial Hyundai of Downingtown
Colonial Nissan - Feasterville
Colonial Volkswagen Subaru - Feasterville
Concordville Nissan Subaru - Concordville
Conicelli Autoplex - Conshohocken
Conicelli Toyota Scion - Springfield
David Dodge Chrysler Jeep - Glen Mills
Davis Acura - Langhorne
Del Chevrolet - Paoli
Del Toyota - Thorndale
Dieckhaus Buick - Bristol
Drexel Hill Nissan - Drexel Hill
Dunphy Ford - Philadelphia
Euro Motorcars Devon
Exton Nissan
Fiat of Montgomeryville
Faulkner Buick GMC - Trevose
Faulkner Buick GMC - West Chester
Faulkner Cadillac - Trevose
Faulkner-Ciocca Chevrolet - Quakertown
Faulkner-Ciocca Ford of Quakertown
Faulkner-Ciocca Ford of Souderton
Faulkner Hyundai - Philadelphia
Faulkner Mazda - Trevose
Faulkner Nissan - Jenkintown
Faulkner Toyota Scion - Trevose
Fred Beans Cadillac Buick GMC Saab - Doylestown
Fred Beans Chevrolet - Doylestown
Fred Beans Chevrolet of Limerick
Fred Beans Kia of Limerick
Fred Beans Dodge Chrysler Jeep - Doylestown
Fred Beans Ford Lincoln Mercury Mitsubishi - Doylestown
Fred Beans Ford Lincoln Mercury of West Chester
Fred Beans Hyundai - Doylestown
Fred Beans Nissan of Doylestown
Fred Beans Nissan of Limerick
Fred Beans Subaru - Doylestown
Fred Beans Volkswagen - Devon
Garnet Volkswagen - Chadds Ford
Gateway Kia - Warrington
Gateway Kia - Quakertown
Glanzmann Subaru - Jenkintown
Hopkins Ford Lincoln - Jenkintown
Infiniti of Ardmore
Infinit of West Chester
Infiniti of Willow Grove
Jaguar Land Rover of West Chester
JL Freed Honda - Montgomeryville
John Kennedy Ford - Conshohocken
John Kennedy Ford - Feasterville
John Kennedy Ford - Phoenixville
John Kennedy Ford - Pottstown
John Kennedy Mazda - Conshohocken
John Kennedy Mazda - Pottstown
John Kennedy Subaru - Plymouth Meeting
Keenan Honda - Doylestown
Keenan Motors - Doylestown
Kelly Chevrolet - Phoenixville
Keyser Miller Ford - Collegeville
Keystone Motors - Berwyn
Keystone Motors - Doylestown
Kia of Coatesville
Kia of West Chester
Lafferty Chevrolet - Warminster
Lansdale Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM - Montgomeryville
Lexus of Chester Springs
Loughead Nissan - Swarthmore
Martin Main Line Honda - Ardmore
Matthews Paoli Ford - Paoli
McCafferty Ford Kia - Langhorne
McCafferty Hyundai Suzuki - Langhorne
Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington
Mercedes-Benz of West Chester
Metro Acura - Philadelphia
Mike Piazza Honda - Langhorne
Miller Dodge Chrysler Jeep - Springfield
MINI of the Main Line - Bala Cynwyd
Montgomeryville Acura
Montgomeryville Nissan
Murray Kia - Conshohocken
Nissan of Devon
North Penn Mazda - Colmar
North Penn Volkswagen - Colmar
O'Neil Buick GMC - Warminster
O'Neil Nissan - Warminster
O'Reilly Buick GMC - Newtown Square
Otto's BMW - West Chester
Otto's MINI - West Chester
Pacifico Ford - Philadelphia
Pacifico Hyundai - Philadelphia
Pacifico Marple Ford Lincoln - Broomall
Pacifico Marple Suzuki - Broomall
Pacifico Mazda - Philadelphia
Piazza Honda of Drexel Hill
Piazza Honda of Philadelphia
Piazza Honda of Pottstown
Piazza Acura of West Chester
Piazza Acura/Volkswagen of Ardmore
Porsche of Bucks County - Warrington
Porsche of Conshohocken
Porsche of the Main Line - Newtown Square
Rafferty Subaru - Newtown Square
Reedman-Toll Chevrolet - Langhorne
Reedman-Toll Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM - Langhorne
Reedman-Toll Fiat - Langhorne
Reedman-Toll Jaguar - Langhorne
Reedman-Toll Lincoln - Langhorne
Reedman-Toll Mazda - Langhorne
Reedman-Toll Subaru - Langhorne
Roberts Automall - Downingtown
Ryan Kia of Springfield
Scott Honda - West Chester
Sloan Ford - Exton
Springfield Ford Lincoln
Springfield Hyundai - Springfield
Stillman Volvo - West Chester
Sussman Mazda Hyundai - Willow Grove
Team Toyota Scion - Langhorne
The Great Britains - Willow Grove
Thomas Chevrolet - Media
Thomas Chevrolet of West Chester
Thompson BMW - Doylestown
Thompson Lexus - Doylestown
Thompson Toyota - Doylestown
Thompson Volkswagen - Warrington
Tri-County Toyota - Limerick
Videon Chrysler Dodge Jeep - Newtown Square
Volkswagen of Langhorne
Volvo of Fort Washington
Welsh Subaru - Limerick
Wilkie Lexus - Haverford
Wynn Volkswagen - Norristown
Wynn Volvo - Norristown
YBH Volkswagen Audi - Edgemont
Yocum Ford - Lansdale
THANK YOU Penske Truck Leasing! The good people at Penske lent us a truck during the month of October to deliver our new coats throughout the Philadelphia area.
Important Note - Coats will not be given out to individuals at the dealerships listed above. The coats donated by these dealerships will be given to dealer-selected non-profit organizations or they will be distributed through our partnership with local YMCAs.