NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toyota (NYSE:TM) today announced a $1,000,000 contribution directed to disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Ike.
The donations are being made to two organizations:
* The American Red Cross will receive $500,000 from four Toyota companies: California-based Toyota Motor Sales USA and Toyota Financial Services; New York-based Toyota Motor North America; and Kentucky-based Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America. * The Friedkin Family, who owns Gulf States Toyota, a privately owned Toyota distributorship, contributed $500,000 to the Friedkin Disaster Relief Fund. This fund was established after Hurricane Katrina and aids Toyota and dealership employees and their families in the Gulf Sates region with both immediate and long-term needs resulting from disasters such as Hurricane Ike.
In addition to the donation, impacted lease and retail customers residing in the devastated areas may be eligible to take advantage of several payment-relief options, some of which include:
* extension of retail payments and/or deferral of lease payments * redirecting billing statements * arranging phone or on-line payments
Toyota Financial customers should call (800) 874-8822 and Lexus Financial customers should call (800) 874-7050.
Additionally, qualified residents in these areas needing to purchase a vehicle may also take advantage of a 180 Day Deferred First Payment Program designed to assist customers with their transportation needs as they work through the recovery process. This program is available through participating Toyota and Lexus dealers and TFS.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates 13 manufacturing plants. In addition, new plants are under construction in Ontario, Canada and Mississippi. There are more than 1,700 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2.9 million vehicles in 2007. Toyota directly employs over 43,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $21 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 more than $30 billion. According to a 2005 Center for Automotive Research study, Toyota, along with its dealers and suppliers, has generated nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs, including jobs created through spending by direct, dealer and suppliers employees. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com.