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Nissan Donates $25,000 to Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

14 September 2000

Nissan Donates $25,000 to Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; Auto Maker's Gift Will Prepare Next Generation of African American Leaders

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA)
announced today it will donate $25,000 to the Congressional Black Caucus
Foundation (CBCF) during its 30th Annual Legislative Conference event in
Washington, D.C.
    The donation is earmarked for the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses
Education Scholarship Fund which provides tuition assistance to students in
the Congressional district of every African American member in Congress.
Since the program was established in 1988, over $4 million in scholarships
have been awarded.
    "Nissan's generous donation will assist the CBCF's efforts in educating
hundreds of African Americans who will be our community's future leaders,"
said U.S. Representative Eva Clayton (D-NC), chairperson of the CBCF.  "The
donation will provide much needed funding to allow our children to fulfill
their dreams."
    The donation is part of Nissan's Corporate Diversity Initiative, which
includes outreach to the African American community through the company's
Quest for Safety Child Seat Restraint Program, its sponsorship of Historically
Black Colleges and Universities Summer Institute program, and specific
objectives to improve the diversity of its dealer body and supplier base.
    "Nissan North America recognizes how much the African American community
has supported our products and services and looks forward to giving back to
the community," said Debra Sanchez-Fair, vice president of corporate
communications at Nissan.  "Giving support to African American institutions is
an integral part of Nissan North America's community outreach efforts."
    Further demonstrating Nissan's outreach to the African American community,
NNA is also sponsoring a panel discussion about diversity in the automotive
industry as part of the CBCF Legislative Conference.  Held today, in
conjunction with the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers
(NAMAD), the forum will focus on issues such as minority dealership programs
and community outreach.  Representatives from automakers such as Ford, GM and
Volvo are also confirmed to attend.  U.S. Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick
(D-MI) will host the event.
    "Nissan North America is very committed to achieving full diversity with
our minority-owned dealerships.  Our objective is to increase our number of
African American-owned dealerships by 100 percent by 2002," added
Sanchez-Fair.
    Nissan has invested $3 billion in the United States to establish
facilities for its design, research and development, manufacturing, sales,
consumer and corporate financing, and marketing operations.  More than sixty
percent of the Nissan trucks and cars sold in America are built in America.
Last year, Nissan purchased more than $4.2 billion in parts and materials from
U.S.-based suppliers.