Big Trucks Drive Out Hunger: DaimlerChrysler Financial Services and Freightliner Deliver Mini-fleet of Three Trucks to Forgotten Harvest

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 17, 2007 -- Engines revving and horns blaring, the convoy of three brand-new trucks arrived with much fanfare at the headquarters facility of Forgotten Harvest in Southfield. Klaus Entenmann, President and CEO of DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas LLC, piloted the first truck on snow-covered roads.

DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas LLC and Freightliner LLC, DaimlerChrysler's commercial vehicle division in North America, donated a mini-fleet of three 2007 trucks with 18-foot refrigerated van bodies to the non-profit organization, including one Freightliner M2 and two Sterling Acterra trucks. Forgotten Harvest provides perishable food to those in need. Currently, Forgotten Harvest delivers more than eight million pounds of food to 135 emergency food providers in the Greater Detroit Area annually. Due to the non-profit's continued growth, Forgotten Harvest anticipates to deliver up to 12 million pounds of food a year.

"The end of the Holiday Season is not the end of charitable giving in our community," said Susan Goodell, Executive Director of Forgotten Harvest. "There are thousands of children, seniors and families who go hungry each day while perfectly good food goes to waste. These new trucks will help us meet our transportation needs and to provide three million additional meals every year. We are so fortunate and grateful to have such wonderful supporters as Klaus and everyone at DaimlerChrysler Financial Services."

"We are pleased to assist Forgotten Harvest in its mission to rescue food and drive out hunger from our communities," said Entenmann while presenting the keys to the trucks. "These big trucks have the horsepower to get the job done."

DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas has enjoyed a multi-year relationship with Forgotten Harvest. Entenmann serves on the non-profit's Board of Directors. In September 2005, DaimlerChrysler Financial Services donated its first truck to Forgotten Harvest in support of Hurricane Katrina victims who had moved to southeast Michigan. Forgotten Harvest currently maintains a fleet of 17 trucks, four of which were donated by DaimlerChrysler Financial Services.

DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas partnered with Portland-based commercial vehicle manufacturer Freightliner LLC, to support Forgotten Harvest.

"It's partnerships among sister companies and the public sector that make a difference in the community," said Chris Patterson, President and CEO of Freightliner LLC, who shares responsibility for medium and heavy duty truck engine manufacturer Detroit Diesel Corporation, another DaimlerChrysler company.

In making the donation, DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas was aided by DaimlerChrysler Truck Financial, one of its business units, and Wolverine Eastside, a Freightliner dealership in Mount Clemens, Mich.

About Forgotten Harvest

Forgotten Harvest was formed in 1990 to fight two problems: hunger and waste. Forgotten Harvest currently rescues over 8 million pounds of food per year by collecting surplus prepared and perishable food from a variety of sources, including grocery stores, fruit and vegetable markets, restaurants, caterers, dairies, farmers, wholesale food distributors, and other Health Department-approved sources. This donated food, which would otherwise go to waste, is delivered absolutely free of charge to emergency food providers in the metro Detroit area. The individuals and families served are as diverse as the community's residents -- young and old, from all races and faiths. The common bond uniting them with each other and with Forgotten Harvest is hunger. www.forgottenharvest.org

About DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas LLC

DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas LLC provides brand-specific financing for automotive dealers' inventories and their retail consumers, and conducts business as Chrysler Financial and Mercedes-Benz Financial. As DaimlerChrysler Truck Financial, it also finances commercial vehicles for affiliate products such as Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star. The company serves as the headquarters for operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela, and has approximately 5,600 employees who manage a portfolio of more than $104 billion with nearly five million contracts. DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas LLC is a company of the DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Group, headquartered in Berlin, Germany, which operates in 39 countries with an employee base exceeding 11,000 and a global portfolio of approximately $144 billion. DaimlerChrysler Financial Services is one of the leading financial services organizations worldwide. For more information on DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Americas LLC, visit their Web site at www.daimlerchryslerfinancialservices.com/na.