Chrysler Group LLC Thanksgiving Food Drive Benefits Salvation Army of Toledo and Northwest Ohio

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Nov 18, 2011, 01:00 ET

TOLEDO, Ohio, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Chrysler Group's Thanksgiving Food Drive provides Northwest Ohio residents with the means to prepare their own Thanksgiving dinner
Hundreds more are expected to be helped by similar food drives in Southeastern Mich.; Kokomo, Ind.; Belvidere, Ill., and Washington, D.C.

Chrysler Group LLC, The Chrysler Foundation and the UAW are helping to make this holiday season brighter for hungry people in Northwest Ohio by delivering 500 turkeys and all of the Thanksgiving dinner trimmings today to the Salvation Army.

Chrysler Group employees at the Toledo Assembly Complex and Toledo Machining Plant have contributed more than five truckloads of everything needed to make a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner, including canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, fruit, pumpkin pie filling, stuffing mix and potatoes. In addition, the 500 frozen turkeys were donated on behalf of The Chrysler Foundation. The food drive, conducted over the past 10 days, is expected to help hundreds of people in Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, Henry and Fulton counties.

This is the second time in a week that Chrysler Group has brought welcome support to the Toledo area. On Wednesday, Chrysler Group announced that it would invest $500 million in the Toledo Assembly Complex to support the production of the next generation Jeep SUV in 2013. As a result, the Company will add a second shift of production, or about 1,100 jobs, in the third quarter of 2013.

"Not so long ago, when Chrysler needed critical support to get on the road to recovery, our communities stood behind us," said Jody Trapasso, President – The Chrysler Foundation. "With the economy still recovering and even more people in need, our food drive is an opportunity to help those who need help the most, as well as show gratitude to our communities."

Similar deliveries will take place in Southeastern, Mich.; Kokomo, Ind.; and Belvidere, Ill., where Chrysler Group employees conducted food drives to benefit the Salvation Army and other local food banks. In Washington, D.C., Chrysler Group and The Chrysler Foundation will provide a donation of $2,500 to SOME (So Others Might Eat) to support its Holiday Dinner Baskets effort that makes deliveries to homebound low-income seniors.

The Salvation Army is an international charitable organization. Located in 121 countries, the organization works to provide basic human necessities such as food, clothing and shelter, as well as promote spiritual & physical well-being.

About The Chrysler Foundation

During the past 58 years, The Chrysler Foundation has established a proud legacy of enriching the physical, educational and cultural needs of local communities in which Chrysler Group LLC conducts business. Chrysler employees also have a strong commitment to helping improve their communities by volunteering their time and talents in the places where we live and work.

The Chrysler Foundation embodies the values of the Company and its employees and, since its inception, has awarded more than $500 million in charitable grants.

About Chrysler Group LLC

Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and Town & Country, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Durango, Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Fiat 500. Fiat contributes world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.

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SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC