Toyota Celebrates the Journey to the Games

Dealerships Across the U.S. will Support Special Olympics USA Athletes and the 2015 Special Olympics World Games

TORRANCE, Calif. (April 16, 2015) – Now just 100 days away from the Opening Ceremony, Toyota, the Official Automotive Partner of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, rolled out its national and local programs today, furthering its commitment to the World Games. Toyota and its network of dealerships across the U.S. have committed to raising funds to support athletes and their journey to the World Games in Los Angeles.

“This is an incredible opportunity to support a truly global event and we’re taking a holistic approach, from our sponsorship investment at the national level, support vehicles and engaging local fundraising efforts across the country to the hundreds of Toyota employees who will volunteer at the World Games,” said Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America. “The world is coming to Los Angeles and we are proud to join the Special Olympics World Games and support our shared values of acceptance and inclusion.”

Also launching today is Toyota’s Special Olympics World Games digital hub – “Journey to the Games”, which will showcase Toyota’s various activities leading up to the World Games this summer and throughout the Games itself. Fans can visit ShareTheJourney.Toyota.com to find athlete profiles and watch the Special Olympics Flame of Hope make its way to Los Angeles. People everywhere can participate in the conversation by using #ShareTheJourney in social media posts.

In support for what is expected to be the world’s largest sports and humanitarian event in 2015, Toyota will also:

Provide 400 vehicles to the World Games to help transport Honored Guests around Los Angeles
Supply support vehicles for the Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America presented by Bank of America as well as the World Games’ Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Final Leg as the torch carrying the Flame of Hope makes its way to Los Angeles
Partner with the Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles to create large scale murals across Los Angeles that celebrate the spirt of the Special Olympics World Games
Launch and maintain its own online hub where fans can engage with the Games and share stories from across the globe

In addition to activating dealerships nationwide to help Special Olympics USA’s journey to the Games, Toyota dealers can help promote Special Olympics and the 2015 World Games through in-store activations and events. Toyota dealer and Team Toyota NASCAR driver, Clint Bowyer is lending his support to the Games and the Toyota program.

“As a Toyota driver as well as a Toyota dealer in Emporia, Kansas, I am looking forward to the opportunity to help Special Olympics USA on its journey to the World Games,” said Clint Bowyer. “Sports have always played an important role in my life and after meeting a few of these athletes earlier this year, I know they are ready to show the world what they are made of!”

The World Games are the flagship event for the Special Olympics Movement. Every other year, the World Games alternate between Summer and Winter Games. More than 7,000 athletes, 177 represented countries and 30,000 volunteers are expected to participate in the Games this summer, taking place in Los Angeles from July 25 through August 2. Although this is Toyota’s first time sponsoring the World Games, the company has an almost 30-year history with Special Olympics Southern California. Toyota is committed to making its communities better places to live, and the Special Olympics World Games partnership is one of those important efforts. More information on the World Games can be found online at www.LA2015.org.

En Español

Toyota Realinea Operaciones de Manufactura en Norteamérica

April 15, 2015

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we’ve built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 42,000 people (more than 33,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.67 million cars and trucks (more than 2.35 million in the U.S.) in 2014 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.

Diversity and inclusion are long standing priorities for Toyota, grounded in our core values of respect for people and continuous improvement. Diversity and inclusion are central to all aspects of Toyota – our customers, employees, dealers, suppliers and the local communities where we operate. For more information on Toyota's commitment to diversity and inclusion, visit www.toyota.com/usa/diversity. For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.

About the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015
With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games – being staged in Los Angeles July 25 – August 2, 2015 – will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games, with the unparalleled spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork, joy and displays of courage and skill that are hallmarks of all Special Olympics events, will feature 25 Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region. The Opening Ceremony, to be held July 25, 2015 in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, is expected to attract 80,000 spectators. On April 30, 2014, LA2015 and ESPN announced a global programming deal that will see ESPN bring coverage of World Games to millions of fans around the world. LA2015, the Games Organizing Committee, is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information on the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.LA2015.org and on social with #ReachUpLA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Special Olympics USA
Special Olympics USA will send a 493 member delegation of athletes, coaches and official delegates to represent the United States at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games, being held July 25-August 2, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. The “home team” will include 344 athletes and Unified Partners, representing all fifty states and the District of Columbia. Athletes will compete in 17 sports, including aquatics, athletics (track & field), basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), kayaking, powerlifting, sailing, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. The team includes several Special Olympics Unified Sports^® teams, where people with and without intellectual disability compete together, as teammates. Special Olympics USA is supported by 108 volunteer coaches and 41 volunteer sports and management team members. Official sponsors for Special Olympics USA include Finish Line, Toyota, Champion, The Coca-Cola Company, American Federation of Teachers, Tommie Copper, Midwest Trophy Manufacturing, KPMG – Golf team sponsor, Mattel – Cycling team sponsor, and Speedo USA – Swimming team official supplier. To learn more and to follow the team, visit www.specialolympicsteamusa.org, Facebook – www.facebook.com/specialolympicsusa Twitter – @specialolyUSA, Instagram – @specialolympicsusa

Sarah Ingram
[email protected]
213-438-8780

Rebecca Lee
[email protected]
213-438-8827