PLANO, Texas – July 6, 2017 – Toyota, in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, along with its formal grand opening today, announced the winner of its $1 million Impact Grant. In Collin County, there are approximately 3,000 women, many with young children, who are homeless. This is in stark contrast to an area where many large companies are locating and thousands of new homes are being built. The grant is intended to implement a program aimed at creating self-sustaining independence for these homeless women and their children. The grant-winners are a part of the newly formed Collin County Mobility Collaborative.
The winners group currently includes Agape Resource and Assistance Center, Family Promise of Collin County, Hope’s Door New Beginning Center, and Shiloh Place of McKinney.
 
“We created this grant to encourage collaboration among nonprofits with a focus on pressing mobility issues in North Texas,” said Al Smith, group vice president, Social Innovation, Toyota Motor North America.  “This holistic program aims to empower homeless women and their children to overcome crisis and poverty, helping them gain both physical and upward mobility.”
 
Announced in January to engage the community in North Texas, the grant initiative ties into Toyota’s national focus of mobility for all.  It aims to empower like-minded partners to collaborate on physical and/or social mobility issues in the local community.
 
The multi-pronged program includes efforts to:

• Provide safe and stable housing;
• Assist with reliable and affordable transportation;
• Facilitate childcare and youth development; and
• Improve earning capacity through education, job training, certification and job placement.

 
The grant is a joint initiative between Toyota Motor North America and Toyota Financial Services, administered in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and provides funds over a two-year period.
 
“By combining resources and sharing expertise, we can achieve greater collective impact to improve the lives of these women, their children, and generations to come,” said Karen Ideno, vice president of product, marketing, corporate social responsibility and communications, Toyota Financial Services. “We look forward to working with the collaborative, applying assets beyond dollars, to make a difference right here in our new backyard.”
 
Applicants, whether non-profit, academic, social entrepreneurs, or others, were to submit unique ideas to help create new solutions to existing problems through collaboration. United Way was part of the independent panel and process to review the applications for the grant. The grant’s terms required two to five collaborative partners to come together to solve complex issues.
 
“Solving complex community challenges requires much more than investing in a single program,” said Susan Hoff, chief strategy, impact and operations officer, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Strong collaborations, such as the Collin County Mobility Collaborative, provide a multi-faceted approach to addressing pervasive and devastating issues through both direct services and systemic interventions.  United Way of Metropolitan Dallas is proud to partner with Toyota to identify effective solutions that will make a lasting difference for families.”
 
Collin County Mobility Collaborative was selected from more than 40 applications, representing approximately 150 nonprofits, academic institutions and social entrepreneurs.
 
“Despite the rapid growth of Collin County, there are many women and children in need,” said Janet Collinsworth, founder & executive director, Agape Resource and Assistance Center. “Our approach taps into the strengths of each of our organizations, providing a holistic approach that addresses housing, transportation, childcare, education and support services.  Through this effort our hope is not only to empower these women, but also to create a model of collaboration with a program that can be replicated.”