Toyota's Community Connection Program Surpasses $1 Million in Donations

Philanthropy program aims to support charities where Toyota and its suppliers do business

MEXICO, Mo., Feb. 23 -- Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TMMNA) today announced that its Community Connection program surpassed the $1 million mark in cumulative donations. Toyota hit the milestone with a charitable donation in conjunction with a Spartan Light Metal Products' expansion in Audrain County.

Community Connection is a philanthropy program designed to support non- profit organizations where Toyota and its suppliers do business. The program, now in its seventh year, has made charitable donations at 57 events in 21 states.

At today's ceremony, Toyota and Spartan Light Metal Products presented a check in the amount of $35,000 for the new comprehensive cancer center at the Audrain Medical Center (AMC).

The 12,000-square-foot cancer center is set to open in April and will offer chemotherapy and infusion services; radiation oncology; health & wellness screening; oncologist offices and educational programs.

"Toyota believes in contributing to the communities where our manufacturing plants and other facilities are located, and through Community Connection, we extend that support to our supplier communities," said Charles Ing, director, government relations of Toyota Motor North America, Inc. "We are grateful to be affiliated with Spartan Light Metal Products, our dozens of suppliers across the country and the many outstanding non-profit organizations in their local communities."

The cancer center's Family Conference Room will be named by Spartan Light Metal Products in honor of the Community Connection partnership with Toyota.

"Spartan Light Metal Products is honored to partner with Toyota and contribute to such a blessing and addition in our community -- the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Audrain Medical Center," said Rick Kulla, vice president of Spartan Light Metal Products. "Today is a proud day for Spartan, its employees and the community of Mexico."

Spartan Light Metal Products has been an industry leader in both aluminum and magnesium custom die casting solutions for over four decades and supplies to a wide range of manufacturers, from automobiles and trucks to power tools, electronic components and much more. The Spartan Mexico, Missouri plant opened in 1995, and has been a Toyota supplier since 1998. Spartan currently employs 173 team members at this location.

Toyota established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates fourteen manufacturing plants including two under construction. There are more than 1,700 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America, which sell more than 2.5 million vehicles a year. Toyota directly employs over 38,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $16.3 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $26 billion.

According to a 2005 Center for Automotive Research study, Toyota, along with its dealers and suppliers, has generated nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs, including jobs created through spending by direct, dealer and supplier employees.

North American-produced vehicles include the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra and the Lexus RX 330. By 2008, Toyota will have the annual capacity to build 1.88 million cars and trucks, 1.44 million engines and 600,000 automatic transmissions in North America.