NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Cynthia Shaw
(408) 666-6857 / cynthia.shaw@redcross.org

Gift will support local services in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Jan. 25, 2019) — As the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Expo draws to a close on Sunday in San Francisco, the American Red Cross will receive the keys to a new Chevy Malibu from Cox Automotive, the company’s ninth disaster vehicle gift in recent years. Like other Cox Automotive-donated vehicles already in use across the country, this latest gift will support local Red Cross mission services in California by providing reliable transportation for volunteers and paid staff in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.

A long-time partner and member of the Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, Cox Automotive also pledges $250,000 annually, in advance of major disasters, to ensure the Red Cross can respond with comfort and care when disasters do occur, help families during the recovery process, and better prepare communities for future emergencies. Their donation enables essentials such as feeding, sheltering, health and emotional support, the purchase and distribution of relief supplies, warehousing and fleet maintenance.

“While we have a wonderful national partnership with the Red Cross, what is really special about this organization is how proactively they work with individuals on the local level,” said Michele Blondheim, Director, Corporate Responsibility at Cox Enterprises, Cox Automotive’ s parent company. “The assistance the Red Cross provides to individuals and families is of critical importance in the communities where we live and work, and we are proud to see all the ways in which our team members step up to support their efforts.”

Each year, the Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters across the country, including home fires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes and wildfires. Red Cross services are provided to people in need of assistance at no cost and regardless of income through the generosity of Red Cross donors.

“Ongoing support from members of the Disaster Responder Program helps create a reliable funding base for disaster relief services, providing food, shelter, emotional support and other essential assistance,” said Don Herring, Red Cross chief development officer. “Donations from the public and members of our Disaster Responder Program is are essential to our ability to assist disaster survivors and support the first responders and volunteers who work tirelessly at the scene of a disaster.”

Individuals can help people affected by disasters by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Donations to Disaster Relief enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

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About Cox Automotive: Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader^®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com^®, Dealertrack^®, Kelley Blue Book^®, Manheim^®, NextGear Capital^®, VinSolutions^®, vAuto^® and Xtime^®,are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com.

About the American Red Cross: 
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.