Kia Motors: Five Grand Carnivals to help Meals on Wheels

SYDNEY – May 3, 2010: Kia Motors Australia has supplied five new Kia Grand Carnivals to the NSW Meals on Wheels Association to help its 'Members' deliver food and services to frail older people and younger people with disabilities.

Meals on Wheels is at the heart of many communities in New South Wales with 35,000 volunteers delivering 4.5 million meals to 15,000 clients across the state.

The success of the program is due largely to the generosity of the 35,000 volunteers who donate their time and use of their own vehicle to ensure each client's individual needs are met including cultural food requirements and any food allergies or intolerances.

Five Kia Grand Carnival EXE petrol automatic vehicles will be distributed throughout the state-wide network with the eight-seat capacity and safety features making it ideal for the task.

Six SRS airbags and ABS provide added safety while the 2 + 3 + 3 seating configuration will offer versatility for group outings and other activities where the transport of a large number of people is required.

Les MacDonald, CEO of the NSW Meals on Wheels Association said they are extremely grateful to Kia Motors Australia for providing the Association and its Services with five Grand Carnivals.

"This partnership is incredibly beneficial to the Association and our Members as Meals on Wheels is a not-for-profit organisation," Mr MacDonald said. "It's a valuable service to the Australian community, enabling clients to maintain independence and avoid premature institutionalisation."

To ensure the fair allocation of vehicles, the Association conducted a promotion amongst the 190 state-wide members inviting them to submit an application based on need and innovation.

"We received a huge response and some fantastic submissions, with Services clearly demonstrating that they were thinking and acting more innovatively in order to match the ever changing needs of their clients," Mr MacDonald said.

The Kia Grand Carnivals were handed over to Meals on Wheels CEO Les MacDonald by Kia Motors Australia CEO Mr MK Kim at Kia's Sydney based head office.

The Kia Carnival range is a regular winner of the RACV's 'most affordable people mover to own' winning the award four years consecutively and in 2009 was crowned Carsales 'People's Choice' in the People Mover category.