Just as auto dealers are the first to line up to help their communities after a natural disaster or crisis, America’s auto dealers are coming to the aid of the citizens of Ukraine.
Dealers and their employees across the country are showing their support, raising funds and donating needed items to the country that was recently invaded by Russia.
Below are just a few examples. If you are a dealer or know a dealer taking on initiatives to support the war in Ukraine, email publicaffairs@nada.org.
Wisconsin Dealership Raises $10K for Ukraine
The employees of Holiday Automotive in Fond du Lac, Wis. along with the Mike Shannon Automotive Foundation donated $10,475 to the Catholic Relief Services (CRS). CRS has partnered with Caritas Poland to provide safe shelter, hot meals, hygiene supplies, transport to safe areas, counseling support and more on the ground in Ukraine and bordering countries that are accepting refugees.
“Seeing this support from our team tells me there are a lot of people out there who want to help; they just don’t know how. Hopefully our donation will encourage other businesses and individuals to join in,” said Holiday Automotive chairman Mike Shannon.
Ohio Dealership Collects Items to be Donated to Ukrainian Refugees
Great Lakes Honda West in Elyria, Ohio is partnering with Columbia Road Baptist Church to collect items to help Ukrainian refugees.
The dealership and church are asking community members to donate medical supplies, non-perishable foods, and household supplies such as plastic tableware, batteries and flashlights, warm clothing, and personal hygiene items to help Ukrainian refugees. The items are being collected in two large bins in the Great Lakes Honda West parking lot and will be shipped to Poland.
Great Lakes Honda West Manager Jeff Berlin said the donation drive is an effort “to make a small difference in the lives of those who have sacrificed so much.” The donation drive is set to conclude on April 11.
Read more on Cleveland19.com.
Rochester Dealership Makes Donation to Ukraine Aid Organization
In early March, Vision Automotive Group of Rochester, New York donated a check for $7,500 to ROCMaidan, a nonprofit organization providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Vision Automotive will continue to take donations for Ukraine at its’ 10 locations throughout the month of March.
“What’s going on over there is terrible, and it shouldn’t be happening. So, if we can do a small thing to help, it’s a small drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Vision Automotive finance manager Andrew Hanushevsky, whose family comes from Ukraine.
Read more on RochesterFirst.com.
Western Massachusetts Dealership Steps Up to Support Ukraine
Gary Rome Auto Group has partnered with Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church to raise aid for Ukraine. The auto dealer recently began collecting medical supplies and cash at its’ locations in Holyoke, Mass. and Enfield, Conn. and will continue to do so through April 3.
The dealerships are looking to collect first aid kits, blood coagulants like Bleedstop, bandages and over-the-counter medication like Tylenol or ibuprofen.
For president Gary Rome, the cause hits close to home. “My wife’s grandmother is actually from Ukraine, so it hit close to home,” he said. “More importantly, I want to make a difference. We have the ability, we have the skills and the resources to give back, so why not do that?”
