NADA leads U.S. dealer support of Lousiana dealer disaster victims
In response to NADAs call to arms on the well publicized Lousiana weather disaster, WANADA has joined dealer associations across the U.S., through the Automotive Trade Assocations network (ATAE), in support of dealers in Baton Rouge who recently fell victim to unprecedented violent weather and flooding leading thousands stranded and homeless. Mobilizing its Emergency Relief Fund, which exists percisely for these kind of disasters, NADA is channeling hundreds of thousands of dollars from itês own Charitable Foundation along with dollar donations from ATAE dealer associationsãlike WANADAãand contributions directly from individual NADA dealer members across the country.
For everyoneês information we present, below, the compelling letter from NADAês President Peter Welsh to all of us dealer associations in ATAE:
Dear Fellow ATAEs:
I spent a good part of this week in Baton Rouge with Louisiana ATAE Will Green taking stock of the recent flood damage in that ravaged area. Although only a half-dozen or so area new-car dealerships suffered flood damage, it is a vastly different story for hundreds of dealership employees and their families, most of whom live in flooded areas.
Because the affected areas were not in flood zones, most homeowners and renters do not have flood insurance, and the maximum FEMA payout will be capped at around $30,000 (with the average payout at around $10,000).
Based on the number of applications that are now rolling in and Wills assessment on the ground, we anticipate that more than 1,500 dealership families will be applying for NADA Emergency Fund relief. Moreover, because of the severity of the flooding and lack of insurance, we believe that the vast number of relief applications will qualify under our current grant rules for a $1,500 relief check.
On Tuesday, Will and I helped hand out $40,000 in Fund checks to 29 employees at just one Baton Rouge dealership. Another local dealer told me that he has over 140 employees who lost their homes and that their applications will be arriving soon. Most of these folks have lost everything, and the stories of personal tragedy we heard are gut-wrenching.
We think that Fund demand will exceed $2 million, and the Fund balance is currently around $325,000. To fill the expected gap, I have been charged with initiating a nationwide fundraising campaign that we launched this week. We are asking each dealership in the country to contribute $1,000 to the Fund in order to “adopt” a devastated Baton Rouge dealership family. Because Will does not have a separate Fund, we agreed to run all relief efforts through the NADA Fund.
In this respect, I need your help to get the word out to our mutual members. My ask: please consider placing our fundraising materials on your website and talk it up when you interact with your members. Im told that a number of you have also pledged funds from your own coffers (Kansas City, $10,000; Shreveport, $10,000; Oklahoma, $10,000; Ohio, $10,000; and Cleveland, $5,000). Needless to say, any contributions will be greatly appreciated, and on behalf of the Baton Rouge dealership families that have been flooded out of their homes, thank you for your support!
Attached is our initial video plea for help, which will be followed next week with another video. Please post the video and graphic below on your website and make sure they link to www.nada.org/emergencyrelief (if you need logistical support, please contact Matt Aukofer in our Public Affairs department at 703.827.7409) and disseminate it as you see fit. If you have any questions, please let me know.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!
Peter Welch
President, NADA
So here is what WANADAês Executive Committee urges our WANADA membership to do: Consider making a tax deductible contribution from your dealership to this worthy U.S. dealer effort! Individual dealer contributions can be done online at www.nada.org/emergencyrelief, or checks can be drawn and mailed to NADACF Emergency Fund, at NADACF, 8400 Westpark Drive, MS7, Tysons, VA 22102
AND God Bless you for your consideration!
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