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Toyota celebrates 15 years with $15,000 in donations

Toyota's donations have totaled $45 million of philanthropy in the last 15 years.

SAN ANTONIO — Toyota celebrated 15 years in San Antonio on Friday by honoring the community they reside in.

Christiane Garcia was one of the community members who participated in the fun, and she said it was a celebration she'll never forget.

"I can't believe it happened. I was in utter shock. I've never been in shock that way. I think I'm still trembling because I can't believe it," Garcia said.

At birthday celebrations, it's tradition to receive presents, but Garcia and her organization Eva's Heroes are the ones leaving with a gift thanks to Toyota.

It's not just Friday that Toyota Texas is doing things differently. The plant first made headlines when it broke ground on the south side over a decade ago, becoming the largest employer on that side of town.

"Those 3,000 jobs at the plant and the 4,000 more onsite here are opportunities for people to raise families, send their kids to school, buy homes, buy trucks," explained Richard Perez of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

And that's not the only thing that makes the plant stand out. The San Antonio assembly line is the only one in the world making Toyota Tundras, and it has broken records with their production, sending one truck off the line roughly every minute.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn attended the celebration and received a special tour of the plant. He spoke with employees and learned how their jobs had positively impacted their lives.

"We tend to talk and think a lot in terms of numbers," Sen. Cornyn said. "The national economy, how many people work here, but beyond all those statistics is a human story."

That's why on Friday, instead of getting presents for their 15th birthday, Toyota gave them away. Friday's donations totaled $45 million of philanthropy in the last 15 years.

The plant donated $30,000 to Buckle Up for Life, and $15,000 to Palo Alto College's STEM Center, EPIcenter, and Eva's Heroes; an organization that provides programming for individuals with special needs. Eva's Heroes also received a brand new Toyota Sienna.

Garcia says that this donation will help her do something she has wanted to do for years.

"There's so many families on the south side of San Antonio that may not have the means to come to our programs," she explained. "We want to be easily accessed by parents and families, so the closer we can be to them, the more probability they have of joining us."

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