TORRANCE, CALIF. (May 9, 2011) – Toyota today announced that public voting for its “100 Cars for Good” program is now open through August 16. The program will award 100 vehicles over the course of 100 days to 100 deserving nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public.

Beginning today, five organizations per day will be profiled on Toyota’s Facebook page where the public is invited to show their support by voting daily to help determine the winning nonprofit organization. Each of the 500 nonprofit organizations selected as finalists have created an online profile, which may include a video showcasing how the organization plans to use a new Toyota vehicle to do good in their local community. Voters may place one vote per day, each day, over the course of the program. 

Each day, the previous day’s winner will be announced and five new nonprofit organizations will be featured for voting.  Winning organizations can choose from the following vehicles:  Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, Highlander Hybrid, Sienna or Sienna Mobility. With each vehicle, Toyota Financial Services will provide a six-year, 100,000 mile Toyota Vehicle Service Agreement to help provide extended protection beyond the vehicle warranty. 

The 500 finalists were chosen by an independent panel of judges who are experts in the fields of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. The finalists represent non-profit organizations servicing the community across a broad range of categories including animal welfare, arts, education, environment, health, safety and human services, among others.

For a complete list of finalists, please visit www.facebook.com/toyota.

  

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to shine a light on the outstanding work carried out by each of the 500 finalists,” said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “The positive impact of these organizations in their respective communities is immeasurable. We encourage the public to learn more about these great nonprofits and actively participate by casting a vote. We wish all of the finalists the best of luck.”
 

Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction. Toyota directly employs nearly

30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S. 

For more information on Toyota’s commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.

TFS is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota in the United States, offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and extended service contracts through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS).  Lexus Financial Services is the brand for financial products for Lexus dealers and customers. TFS currently employs over 3,300 associates nationwide, and has managed assets totaling more than $87 billion.  It is part of a worldwide network of comprehensive financial services offered by Toyota Financial Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation.  For more information, please visit www.toyotafinancial.com.

Media Contact:                                             Toyota Contact:
Tracy Segal                                                    Zoé Zeigler
GolinHarris for Toyota                                    Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
(213) 438-8781                                             (310) 468-4868
[email protected]                                 [email protected]