Latest Edition
Driving to Make a Difference
6/8/2016, 11:54 a.m.
Simon Nagata, Toyota North America’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer, visits Portland and helps launch a partnership with volunteer driver programs helping the elderly and disabled. He is pictured with Elaine Wells, executive director of Ride Connection, which Toyota supported with a $5,000 donation.
Improving accessibility and bringing transportation solutions to the elderly and disabled is the goal of a new partnership with Toyota to promote and support volunteer driver programs in 50 states.
As part of the local outreach, Toyota North America last month donated $5,000 to the non-profit Ride Connection to help meet the ever growing demand for rides in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties.
Ride Connection provides public transit services that help pickup senior citizens and take them to doctor’s appointments, shopping trips and community events. The service is one of the organizations affiliated with the National Volunteer Transportation Center.
Toyota awarded $400,000 to the national group as part of its new partnership, including the donation of two vehicles, a 2016 Toyota Prius and a 2016 Mobility Sienna, to help more than 800 volunteer driver programs in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
