GM Foundation and Chevrolet Donate to 'Help 4 Oklahoma'

Forgotten Harvest leads aid gathering for Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and tornado victims

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May 21, 2013, 04:21 ET

DETROIT, May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The General Motors Foundation is pledging $50,000, and Chevrolet is donating a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado full-size pickup to Forgotten Harvest to assist with the organization's "Help 4 Oklahoma" campaign to get supplies to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and help those impacted by this week's devastating tornadoes.

"The GM Foundation's $50,000 donation to Forgotten Harvest for 'Help 4 Oklahoma' is just the first step in our support for those impacted by the tornadoes," said Selim Bingol, GM's global vice president of Communications and Public Policy and the chairman of the GM Foundation. "Our employees want to help and will volunteer locally at Forgotten Harvest, and we will engage our plants and other facilities across the U.S. to collect food to help this effort."

To implement "Help 4 Oklahoma," Forgotten Harvest is partnering with the GM Foundation, Chevrolet, Art Van, WDIV-TV 4, WJR AM 760 and The Detroit Media Partnership.

"We will be collecting shelf-stable foods, and medical and hygiene products for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma," said Susan Goodell, CEO of Forgotten Harvest. "Vehicles will be instrumental in the implementation of this effort and we thank Chevrolet for this generous donation."

Said GM North America President Mark Reuss, vice chair of the GM Foundation: "Chevrolet continues its support of local organizations and disaster relief efforts with the donation of a Chevrolet Silverado to Forgotten Harvest. GM and the GM Foundation will support 'Help 4 Oklahoma' with the full breadth of our operations."

Since 2004, the GM Foundation has provided more than $7 million to global disaster relief efforts. The Foundation is also a member of the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program to ensure that the Red Cross has funds on hand to provide immediate relief when disaster strikes.

Anyone interested in donating to "Help 4 Oklahoma" may call 888-332-7140, visit www.forgottenharvest.org, drop off shelf-stable items at any Art Van location, or visit www.redcross.org.

About the GM Foundation
Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/gmfoundation.

About Forgotten Harvest
Forgotten Harvest was formed in 1990 to fight two problems: hunger and waste. Forgotten Harvest "rescued"43.9 million pounds of food last year by collecting surplus prepared and perishable food from 455 sources, including grocery stores, fruit and vegetable markets, restaurants, caterers, dairies, farmers, wholesale food distributors and other Health Department-approved sources. This donated food, which would otherwise go to waste, is delivered free-of-charge to more than 260 emergency food providers in the Metro Detroit area. Learn more about Forgotten Harvest and how to help drive hunger from our community at www.forgottenharvest.org.

SOURCE General Motors