100 Cars for Good

Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will award 100 vehicles over the course of 100 days to 100 nonprofits based on votes from the public. A total of 500 finalists were selected based on their application as reviewed by an independent panel of judges who are experts in the fields of philanthropy and social responsibility.

CEP was chosen as one of these finalists, and has a 1 in 5 chance of winning a free Toyota!

On Friday, June 3, 2011 CEP will compete with four other nonprofits for the chance to win – and it will be up to the voters to decide.

Do more then wish us luck – vote for us! Follow us on Facebook and we’ll remind you closer to the date.

To vote for us on June 3, visit Toyota’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/toyota and click on “100 Cars for Good” – from there you will see the competing nonprofits for that day.

Here’s the 2,000 character proposal we submitted to become a finalist:

Community Energy Project (CEP) provides free workshops all over the Portland Metro Area, and distributes free supplies to qualified participants. We also provide services for low-income seniors and people with disabilities, all of which require a lot of driving and hauling of materials. We have workshops at over 140 locations, and provide direct service to over 350 homes every year.

A Toyota would be used for every one of our programs, to haul conservation and safety kits, presentation supplies, lumber, grab bars, and other safety equipment, as well as weatherization supplies. It would also be used to transport volunteers.

In our Weatherization Workshops, we teach participants how to conduct small-scale weatherization in their home, helping to reduce energy bills and conserve natural resources. A Toyota vehicle would be used to bring over 700  13-lb kits to the workshop to distribute to low-income families that participate in the class.

With our Lead Poisoning Prevention workshops, we teach families how to protect their children against the detrimental affects of lead poisoning, whether they are conducting a lead-paint disturbing project, or simply live in older housing. We distribute safety materials to over 550 families that attend the workshop.

In our Water to the Weather classes, participants learn how to protect the local watershed with activities in their own backyard. This conserves water at the time conservation is most important, and helps to prevent non point-source pollution to our rivers, streams, and drinking water. Over 50 households receive conservation kits per year.

For our In-Home Services, we provide free weatherization and safety repairs for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. We make two visits, one for an initial audit, and then a second to install weatherization materials such as internally mounted vinyl storm window kits and door weatherstripping. We also make safety repairs – everything from installing a grab bar to fixing a broken stair or installing railing down dangerous stairs. We provide these services to over 350 households  a year, keeping seniors safer, more mobile and independent, warmer in their homes, and bringing down high energy costs.

We currently have a vehicle used by each program that gets poor gas mileage and needs expensive repairs. As a nonprofit, money spent on filling a vehicle that gets 9 miles to the gallon is money better spent on serving more people who need it with more services.

Don’t just wish us luck – vote for us on Friday June 3, 2011!

Advertisement