Toyota Announces $5 Million Grant To National Park Support Organizations

We've run several articles lately about the many contributions that Toyota has made to environmental concerns. Well, here's another: Toyota has promised to make a $5 million contribution to support five National Parks as well as a National Park Foundation that works to enhance environmental leadership and educational programs at parks around the country. Toyota also will donate 23 vehicles to the National Parks. Cool.

"For more than a century, the National Parks have been a treasure across the United States," said Dian Ogilvie, senior vice president of Toyota Motor North America.  "We are proud to support these excellent programs for young people at the National Parks that are helping to develop the environmental leaders of tomorrow."

Some of the funds may be used by the local fundraising partners such as Everglades National Parks for matching Federal funds as part of the National Park Centennial Challenge program highlighting the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016.

The one-time $5 million grant will support environmental education programs of U.S. National Parks through national park friends groups and fundraising partners, including:

• * Everglades National Park (Florida) through the South Florida National Parks Trust;
• * Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee) through the Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park;
• * Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho) through the Yellowstone Park Foundation;
• * Yosemite National Park (California) through the Yosemite Fund;
• * Grand Canyon (Arizona) through the Grand Canyon National Park Foundation;
• * Multiple national parks through the National Park Foundation;
• * Many of the parks also will receive Toyota vehicles to support the programs.

Toyota says these parks were chosen for their environmental educational programs and dedication to developing environmental stewards. The programs they offer serve children and teachers by enhancing environmental science education and include day-use and camp scholarships for inner-city and Native American communities, bilingual Junior Ranger programs, and the University of California intern program designed to cultivate new leadership for the National Park Service.

"Toyota's philanthropic support of National Parks is an excellent match for the goals we're working to accomplish," said Paul A. Zambernardi, Executive Director of the Yellowstone Park Foundation. "These grants will allow Yellowstone and the other parks to do so much more for education in the National Parks." This contribution builds on Toyota's longstanding support of volunteerism, environmental leadership and national public lands and parks. Toyota has been a supporter of "Take Pride in America," a national partnership program of the US Department of the Interior aimed at increasing volunteer service on America's public lands.

By Brandy Schaffels
Editor, AskPatty.com

The one-time $5 million grant will support environmental education programs of U.S. National Parks through national park friends groups and fundraising partners, including:

• * Everglades National Park (Florida) through the South Florida National Parks Trust;
• * Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee) through the Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park;
• * Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho) through the Yellowstone Park Foundation;
• * Yosemite National Park (California) through the Yosemite Fund;
• * Grand Canyon (Arizona) through the Grand Canyon National Park Foundation;
• * Multiple national parks through the National Park Foundation;
• * Many of the parks also will receive Toyota vehicles to support the programs.

Toyota says these parks were chosen for their environmental educational programs and dedication to developing environmental stewards. The programs they offer serve children and teachers by enhancing environmental science education and include day-use and camp scholarships for inner-city and Native American communities, bilingual Junior Ranger programs, and the University of California intern program designed to cultivate new leadership for the National Park Service.

"Toyota's philanthropic support of National Parks is an excellent match for the goals we're working to accomplish," said Paul A. Zambernardi, Executive Director of the Yellowstone Park Foundation. "These grants will allow Yellowstone and the other parks to do so much more for education in the National Parks." This contribution builds on Toyota's longstanding support of volunteerism, environmental leadership and national public lands and parks. Toyota has been a supporter of "Take Pride in America," a national partnership program of the US Department of the Interior aimed at increasing volunteer service on America's public lands.

By Brandy Schaffels
Editor, AskPatty.com