The Toyota Lexus Minority Owners Dealership Association (TLMODA) is once again renewing its partnership with The Salvation Army to address the increasing food insecurity challenges families face across the country during spring break.

According to a news release, 26 dealerships across the nation will distribute more than 5,200 food boxes during the spring break period at participating dealerships in 17 states, including:

—Alabama
—Arizona
—California
—Colorado
—Florida
—Idaho
—Illinois
—Ohio
—Oregon
—North Carolina
—New Mexico
—Pennsylvania
—Texas
—Vermont
—Virginia
—Washington
—Wyoming

“Community is one of TLMODA’s strategic areas of focus,” TLMODA president Carlos Liriano said in the news release. “Hosting a third day of service — this time to provide food for children and their families during their spring break from school, when many don’t have access to free breakfasts and lunches — is another way for TLMODA to give back to and support our communities.”

During TLMODA’s third annual day of service, each participating Toyota dealership will select a date in their local market for the day of service campaign.

Toyota dealership staff will distribute grocery boxes of non-perishable items like boxes of cereal and canned goods to help feed a family of four for a week. Items for the grocery boxes will be packed and assembled by local Salvation Army teams in accordance with safety guidelines from local, state and federal health officials.

The Salvation Army is helping identify families in need of food and instructing them to visit one of the participating Toyota dealerships to pick up their grocery box.

In order to maintain proper social distance protocols, boxes will be placed in the trunk of each family’s vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies are exhausted.

“Many families depend on school lunches to help feed their children on a daily basis, so when schools close, food insecurity can be a grueling reality. Through our partnership with TLMODA, those essential needs are met for thousands of families in our communities,” said Kenneth Hodder, who is the national commander of The Salvation Army.

Alva Adams-Mason is executive group manager of multicultural business and strategy for Toyota Motor North America.

“As a company committed to investing in the communities where we live and work, Toyota provided funding to TLMODA in 2020 and 2021 to partner with The Salvation Army to address food insecurities in our communities, giving out hundreds of boxes of food during our day of service events,” Adams-Mason said.

“We are pleased to continue this partnership in 2022 with TLMODA’s third day of service — this time to ensure our youngest citizens don’t go hungry during the Spring Break vacation.”

TLMODA’s third annual day of service participating dealership locations include:

Alabama
Lexus of Huntsville

Arizona
Sierra Toyota

California
Toyota of Poway
Tustin Toyota
Valley Lexus

Colorado
Lexus of Colorado Springs

Florida
Peter Boulware Toyota
South Dade Toyota
Toyota of Fort Walton Beach
West Kendall Toyota

Idaho
Teton Toyota

Illinois
Advantage Toyota of River Oaks

Ohio
Great Lakes Toyota

Oregon
Columbia Gorge Toyota
Toyota of Gladstone

North Carolina
Classic Toyota of Henderson
Classic Toyota of Wilkesboro

New Mexico
Desert Sun Toyota

Pennsylvania
North Hills Toyota

Texas
Brownsville Toyota
Mike Shaw Toyota
Toyota of Rockwall

Vermont
Faith’s Toyota Ford

Virginia
Gloucester Toyota

Washington
Walla Walla Toyota

Wyoming
Yellowstone Toyota

TLMODA’s goal is to represent the needs of minority dealers within Toyota and Lexus. Any dealership which represents a minority group, based on 51% or more ownership, is invited to join as a dealer member.

Some of the benefits available to dealer members include networking opportunities, mentoring support, collective representation within Toyota and Lexus, community involvement support, and development opportunities, among others.

For more information, go to www.tlmoda.org.