Deland Toyota Presents My Angels With Paws, Inc. with New Toyota Sienna

Oct. 3, 2011 - PRLog -- DeLand, Fla. – Deland Toyota will present a new Toyota Sienna to My Angel With Paws, Inc., on Friday, Oct. 7, 2011 at 6 p.m. as part of the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program. The organization, which trains and places service and therapy dogs with disabled children and adults, will use the new vehicle to transport the canine “Angels” and equipment. The Sienna, which will be handicap accessible, will also be transportation for the organization’s volunteers and clients.

To show appreciation for Toyota’s support of the organization’s mission, two of the nonprofit’s newest Angels on the team will be named Toyota and Sienna, both of whom will be at Friday’s catered event.

“There are no words to express how much Toyota’s kindness and this vehicle donation mean to us.  Saying ‘thank you’ just doesn’t seem to be enough,” said Chris Tejcek, executive director of My Angels With Paws.  “Every My Angel With Paws volunteer is passionate about the mission that has been placed before us.  We all put in a lot of time and effort, often traveling far distances in vehicles without proper accommodations for our pups, trainers and clients.  This donation will significantly help us accomplish our goals.”

The Toyota 100 Cars for Good program has awarded 100 vehicles over the course of 100 days to 100 deserving non-profit organizations nationwide based on votes from the public. 100 Cars for Good was launched as a Facebook-enabled philanthropy initiative which engaged supporters of these charities through its Facebook application. Each day for 100 days, five organizations were profiled on the Facebook page and the one with the most votes at the end of the day was awarded a car.  The 400 runners-up each received $1,000.  

“We are so thankful for the community’s ongoing support of our business, and giving back to deserving nonprofits such as My Angels With Paws is just a small way we can say thank you for your loyalty,”  said Ken Hanley, general manager of Deland Toyota.  “It is so important to us because we live and play in the Southern Volusia area and so do our customers.  My Angel With Paws is just another example of what this wonderful community has to offer."  Deland Toyota partners with Mainstreet DeLand, a non-profit corporation dedicated to improving the economic development downtown while protecting and promoting DeLand's historic heritage, to support and recognize community organizations like My Angel With Paws.

Through breeding, extensive training and continuing education of the service dogs, My Angels With Paws has placed nearly 20 canines with a child or adult with physical disabilities since 2009.  Puppies are trained for up two years in over 90 commands as well as to provide other needs to include emotional support. The dogs are carefully matched with a trainer and then, based on its skills and the owners’ needs, permanently partnered.

Additionally, My Angels With Paws recently initiated the Twin Oaks Puppy Training Program, a new partnership with Twin Oaks Juvenile Development Inc. in Tallahassee, Fla., an intermediate residential facility that provides special education, therapy and rehabilitation treatment for disabled and at-risk males ages 10 to 19. Qualified Twin Oaks students will implement My Angels With Paws training techniques to socialize and develop the puppies’ skills as effective service dogs for the disabled.

The Toyota 100 Cars for Good Program enables 100 organizations to receive a Toyota vehicle to make a greater impact on the community. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to non-profit organizations, and has always been guided by a strong belief in serving the communities where it does business.  If you’d like to learn more, please visit http://www.toyota.com/about/philanthropy/.

About Toyota
Toyota  established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction.  Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 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 more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.  For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.