Generous Grants Help Three Local Charities Make Great Strides

--Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation Gives $373,333--

EAST NORRITON, Pa., July 27 -- The Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, the public charity associated with the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (ADAGP), just announced a $40,000 grant to three local charities in addition to their $333,333 pledge to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Continuing in their tradition of giving, the Foundation donated $10,000 to Gilda's Club Camp Sparkle Family Retreat, $25,000 to the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and $5,000 to Bethanna, Southampton, PA for their summer camp.

The Camp Sparkle Family Retreat is part of Gilda's Club DelawareValley where families dealing with cancer can receive emotional support in a home- like facility. "When a family is dealing with a serious disease like cancer, daily tasks can be difficult and time consuming. Gilda's Club and Camp Sparkle Family Retreat give these families hope and a place to connect with other people dealing with similar issues," stated Cindy Della-Vedova, Executive Director of Gilda's Club DelawareValley. "The grant from the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation has helped us maintain a comforting, worry-free atmosphere for these families."

Glenn Davis, President of the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, acknowledged the significance of giving. "It is important to give to these charities because they are making great strides to help improve the lives of kids in the Greater Philadelphia Region. All of the members of the CARing for Kids Foundation can take pride in knowing that they are able to contribute to these worthwhile causes and help care for these children." The ADAGP and Foundation is made up of 230 new car and truck franchised dealers in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties and makes many contributions to various charities each year.

"Receiving donations from the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation has given us the ability to help the 150 local kids who suffer from Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, commonly known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)," remarked Barbara Berman of CCFA Philadelphia/Delaware region. "The grant has facilitated our Camp Oasis program that runs each summer. It is a valuable experience for these kids because for many of them, Camp Oasis is their only chance to attend sleepaway camp as a 'normal' kid." CCFA, a voluntary, non-profit national organization, seeks to cure and prevent Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis through research and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these digestive diseases through education and support.

The Bethanna grant will support, in part, Project STAT, a preventative program for foster care teenagers in Philadelphia and neighboring communities. Project STAT provides support group meetings that encourage teens to build self-esteem, develop life skills and form personal relationships with peers and foster parents. Funding will also go towards Bethanna's summer camp program, where foster families can select age-appropriate camp experiences for their children at over 30 different locations in the Delaware Valley. Reading, arts and crafts, swimming, horseback riding and equestrienne care are among the many activities children and their foster families can choose from.

In addition to these grants, the Foundation awarded $333,333 to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and The Friends of Trisomy 21 Center for Down Syndrome at The Hospital as part of their $2 million, six-year pledge (see below). Once this pledge is completed, accumulated contributions will exceed $5 million.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION:

Established in 2003, the Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, annually contributes funding and resources to worthwhile child-related programs and causes throughout the Greater Philadelphia five-county region. The ADAGP has supported the remarkable efforts of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia since 1986 and has given over $2.6 million to The Hospital over the past two decades. In 2004, the Foundation renewed its support of The Hospital with a $2 million, six-year pledge to support the construction and maintenance of the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Patient Welcome Center in the Richard D. Wood Pediatric Ambulatory Care Center at The Hospital. Once this pledge is completed, accumulated contributions will exceed $5 million.

For more information go to http://www.caringforkids.com/.