Back-to-school shopping can get expensive.

Jessica Hanson and Tim Rippinger of the Parts & Service Advertising team know that. They also know that Toyota dealers and customers are a generous bunch.

“We were looking for a way to connect our dealers and customers to make a big philanthropic impact, and school supplies seemed like such a good fit,” Hanson said. “Who doesn’t want to help students succeed at school?”

Together, they launched a plan to partner Toyota with the Kids In Need Foundation (KINF). Since 1995, KINF has provided school supplies to help children in some of the country’s most under-resourced schools. The organization donates backpacks full of supplies with the hopes that by giving kids the tools they need at the beginning of the year, they’ll be set up for success in the classroom and give them the support necessary to keep attending school.

This year, KINF is getting a big boost thanks to Toyota. In total, 450 dealers raised nearly $800,000 this summer to help. The Central Atlantic (CAT) Region led the way, with 121 dealers enrolled.

The program also has a customer component, running through the month of August. For each paid service that includes a tire rotation and Genuine Toyota Motor Oil (GTMO) oil change at a participating Toyota Service Center, Toyota will donate an additional $3 to the KINF backpack fund with a guaranteed minimum donation of $500,000.

“To us, this is a win-win for our dealers, customers, and communities,” Rippinger said. “We’ve always known that Toyota dealers are dialed into the communities they serve. We have the best customers. And we love being able to contribute to the success of students across this country. Educational success is mobility too.”

The idea fit in well with Toyota’s focus on education.

Volunteers from Toyota headquarters in Plano, Texas, gave backpacks full of supplies and food boxes to families at a back-to-school event held at the West Dallas Multipurpose Center. At the West Dallas STEM school, volunteers helped pre-k students design T-shirts. And an event in partnership with a local Boys & Girls Club served 455 kids with backpacks, while an event with Community Partners of Dallas put together 1,000 backpacks.

Toyota Financial Services offices across the country also gave over 1000 backpacks, with team members purchasing supplies to fill the backpacks.

Toyota manufacturing centers also got in on the action. A donation made by Toyota Texas helped provide over 3,000 backpacks full of school supplies to students, as well as immunizations. Toyota Indiana sponsored a Backpack Bash event, which collected over 400 backpacks. And Toyota Alabama collected over 50 backpacks to donate to children in the area.

For more information on KINF, click here.