(SANTA ANA, Calif. – April 3, 2018) – As the result of a generous donation by Manheim, North America’s leading provider of vehicle remarketing services, a new Ford F-150 pickup truck will be delivered on March 30 to the American Red Cross Desert to the Sea Region, which serves Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Four Manheim operating locations in southern California—Manheim Riverside, Manheim Southern California, Manheim California and Manheim San Diego—partnered with a client, Remarketing by Element, in a “Race to Give” campaign to raise funds for the vehicle. The truck will join a local fleet of disaster and Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs), which are used by Red Cross volunteers when responding to disasters. From July 2017 through January 2018, the Red Cross assisted over 1,600 individuals in the southern California region.
“When disaster strikes, Red Cross volunteers are there to help get people back on their feet,” said Linda Voss, Regional CEO of the Red Cross Desert to the Sea Region. “Vehicles like this one allow us to get to and from the scene safely, and deliver much-needed supplies. It’s more than just a truck – it’s a vital tool for us to deliver help and hope in our region, and beyond.”
Nationwide, the American Red Cross responds to an average of nearly 64,000 disasters—that’s one every eight minutes—every year, including mudslides, wildfires, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, home fires and more. It takes vehicles- and many of them- to deliver supplies to those affected by emergencies. When the local Red Cross put out a call for a new vehicle, Manheim joined forces one of its commercial clients, Remarketing by Element, and stepped in to help.
“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, senior director of Community Relations at Cox Automotive, Manheim’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.”
The donated Ford F-150 will be a regional asset used in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. In 2017, the Desert to the Sea Region assisted over 900 families affected by disasters. The truck will be equipped with the necessary materials to respond to a myriad of emergencies.
"From warm blankets and hygiene items for those affected by a home fire, to relief supplies and cleanup kits to assist after a wildfire, serving disaster-affected families is our key priority,” said Voss.
Manheim’s team members and clients went the extra mile by purchasing and assembling 1,500 comfort kits for Red Cross workers to distribute to individuals affected by disaster, with team members from another Cox Automotive brand headquartered in southern California, Kelley Blue Book, contributing an additional 500 kits. The 2000 kits contain hygiene items that are essential for the immediate needs of clients who have been displaced.
"This donation demonstrates Manheim’s commitment to the communities where they work and live,” said Voss. “We appreciate all that our partners at Manheim do for the Red Cross and those we serve.”
The disaster relief vehicle and comfort kits were donated to the Red Cross during a ceremony at Manheim California on Friday, March 30. For photos and videos from the event, click here.
For more information on the American Red Cross Desert to the Sea Region, please visit redcross.org/dts.
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. The American Red Cross Desert to the Sea Region has proudly served Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties for more than 100 years. For more information, please visit redcross.org/dts or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossDTSor Facebook at facebook.com/RedCrossDTS.
About Manheim (www.manheim.com)
Manheim® is North America’s leading provider of end-to-end wholesale solutions that help dealer and commercial clients increase profits in their used vehicle operations. Through its extensive physical, mobile and digital salesnetwork, the company offers diverse solutions for inventory management, buying and selling, floor planning, logistics, assurance and reconditioning. With morechannels and smarter tools, Manheim Marketplace offers the most comprehensive end-to-end solutions and services, enabling wholesale vehicle buyers and sellers faster and more efficient ways to connect and transact business how and when they want. In addition, Manheim provides industry-leading data and tools to improve client efficiencies and decision-making, while delivering a value-added customer experience. Approximately 18,000 team members enable Manheim to offer 8 million used vehicles per year, facilitate transactions representing nearly $58 billion in value and generate annual revenues of more than $3 billion. Headquartered in Atlanta, Manheim North America is a Cox Automotive™ brand. For more information, visit http://press.manheim.com.
