For Immediate Release
SCHOOL ON WHEELS NAMED FINALIST IN TOYOTA 100 CARS FOR GOOD PROGRAM
Toyota to Donate Vehicles to Local Nonprofit Organizations Based on Public Votes
CALIFORNIA - September 26, 2013 -School on Wheels is one of 250 finalists in Toyota's 100 Cars for Good program, which will award vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public beginning Oct. 1, 2013.
Toyota's 100 Cars for Good program will showcase five nonprofit organizations each day for 50 days at Facebook.com/Toyota. Visitors to the page will receive two votes each day to select two separate winning organizations they feel are most deserving of new Toyota vehicles.
School on Wheels will be one of the five organizations highlighted for voting on Saturday, October 5th.
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE SINCE 1993
School on Wheels, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1993 by Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher. After reading Jonathan Kozol's Rachel and her Children, Agnes realized the extent of homelessness in the USA. She began tutoring homeless kids in a park in Santa Monica, encouraging them to stay in school and participate in school activities.
Today, hundreds of volunteers work one-on-one with children whose homelessness prevents them from receiving the academic stability and help they desperately need. The heart of the School on Wheels' program is the volunteer tutors who come from all backgrounds and professions, with a shared goal - to reach out to a child, to teach, to mentor, and assist in their educational life.
The mission of School on Wheels is to enhance educational opportunities for homeless children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The goal is to shrink the gaps in their education and provide them with the highest level of education possible. Their program serves as a consistent support system to homeless students at a time of great stress and fear. School on Wheels brings the message to homeless students that they are cared about and important. They do this by offering:
- One-on-one weekly tutoring with a volunteer
- Backpacks, school supplies and school uniforms
- A toll-free number for kids to keep in touch with us
- (800-923-1100)
- Assistance in entering school
- Help in locating lost records
- Guidance for parents in educational matters for their children
- Two Learning Centers, one located in the heart of Skid Row and the other in South Los Angeles
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Tutoring in seven major regions in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
About Toyota.
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants. Toyota directly employs over 31,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $23 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 nearly $700 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.
For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/philanthropy.
PRESS CONTACTS
School on Wheels, Inc.
Sinead Chilton
805.641.1678
schilton@schoolonwheels.org
