Toyota taps CREATE to distribute $50 million

[RAV4EVR]

Just a very small example for people who "prefer to think" that Toyota is stingy with their "out of plant" spending in the United States.

http://www.djournal.com/pages/story....pub=1&div=News

4/19/2007 1:30:34 AM
Daily Journal

By Carlie Kollath
Daily Journal

BLUE SPRINGS - CREATE Foundation will administer the $50 million Toyota will distribute to schools in Pontotoc, Union and Lee counties over 10 years, the automotive company announced Wednesday.

Toyota announced its intentions in February to donate $5 million every year for 10 years to local schools.

Ray Tanguay, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, said Wednesday that distribution of the money will begin in 2010 when production starts at the Highlander plant west of Tupelo.

Mike Clayborne, president of CREATE, said Toyota has asked that the money go toward math and science issues, early childhood development and school-to-career resources. He emphasized Toyota intends the money to be enhancement money and not money to pay for the basics.

"Although they have some clear thoughts on some areas they'd like to have addressed, a lot of discretion will be left to the advisory committee and local school districts to come up with innovative ways for how to spend the money," he said.

Clayborne said an advisory committee will be formed with representatives from Pontotoc, Union and Lee counties. Its recommendations then will go to the CREATE board for review. He said it is his understanding that the money will be given to public schools in Pontotoc, Union and Lee counties.

"Everything is very preliminary as to how the funds will be distributed," he said.

CREATE is a Tupelo-based community foundation that serves 16 counties in Northeast Mississippi.

[ECHOKnight2000]

Very nice!

[dsmnick]

Hmm...I guess that makes them an American company now, donating $50 million over 10 years. It pays back a third of the money they received in the local incentive package to build the San Antonio truck plant.

[EchoHoLiK]

^^^ That comment just made yourself sound hateful and pathetic.


Kudos to Toyota's initiative. Let's hope this will help out America's future generations, who'll have to deal with all the problems tomorrow that we created today.