Charitable Giving by Auto Dealers Hits New Record in 2005

MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 22, 2005 -- Charitable giving by new car and light truck dealers reached a record level of more than $4.1 million in 2005, according to the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation (NADCF), celebrating its 30th year.

"The overwhelming response by America's dealers to help those in need is a testament to the extraordinary generosity of the men and women who make up our industry," said Robert P. Mallon, NADCF chairman. "Dealers have a long and proud history of charitable giving and service that goes far beyond the showroom, and that trend is only growing."

To assist dealership employees affected by the recent hurricanes, NADCF set up an emergency relief fund that has generated contributions totaling more than $3.8 million. They include donations by state dealer associations, individual dealers, the National Automobile Dealers Association and others. More than $3.5 million have been distributed to date to help over 6,300 dealership employees in the affected Gulf coast region states.

In addition to hurricane relief, NADCF continued to assist communities in a wide variety of ways in 2005, including:

  * Providing financial support to educational institutions, emergency
    medical organizations and institutions involved in economic education
    through the Foundation's Ambassador's Program.  (2005 total:  $89,000)
    (To be recognized as an Ambassador, a dealer, company, association or
    any individual contributes $10,000 to the Foundation. NADCF then
    guarantees that a grant of at least $1,000 will be presented to an
    entity the Ambassador selects every three years forever.)

  * Providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training equipment to a
    wide variety of health, civic and educational organizations (2005 total:
    153 manikins, with a value of nearly $120,000);

  * Offering scholarships to families of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist
    attacks (2005 total:  $57,000);

  * Giving grants to private/independent colleges and universities to help
    students with emergency needs and to further the study of ethics (2005
    total:  $56,000);

  * Helping people with disabilities through canine assistance dogs (2005
    total:  $30,000).

The National Automobile Dealers Association, founded in 1917 and based in McLean, VA, represents approximately 20,000 new car and truck dealers holding nearly 43,000 separate franchises, domestic and international.