• by Tanya Gazdik , Staff Writer, November 1, 2021

It’s Nov. 1, unofficially the beginning of the holiday season, and like clockwork, companies are talking about their philanthropic efforts. 

Automakers and others engage in community-aid efforts all year long as a way of inspiring good feelings toward their brands. But the post-Halloween lead-up to Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah seem to bring out a rash of press releases.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with big companies using their power and profits to enact good. It’s a nice antidote to negativity and otherwise “bad” news. 

Subaru of America has two efforts to talk, about including a re-foresting project in partnership with the National Forest Foundation.A 30-second video from AOR Carmichael Lynch touting the effort features the brand’s Forester SUV and will run across national TV and digital programs. 

Wildfires have reached historic levels, particularly on the West Coast, and Subaru and its retailers are stepping in to help. Initially the plan of the project, launched in 2919, was to replant 500,000 trees in areas devastated by the California wildfires. But with even more wildfires in other states, the automaker is expanding efforts by helping to replant an additional 500,000 trees in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

In a separate effort, Subaru and more than 600 participating retailers will once again donate 50,000 blankets to homeless shelters nationwide.

More than 500,000 Americans are experiencing homelessness, per the automaker.

The automaker and participating retailers will also provide 50,000 pairs of socks to homeless shelters across the country. Staff from each Subaru retailer will personally deliver their donation to the shelter.

Meanwhile Honda announced its new Corporate Social Responsibility vision to better align with the company’s global philanthropy goals and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Honda has consolidated its three former U.S. foundations into one, now named the Honda USA Foundation. 

The foundation is accepting applications for 2022 funding awards through Nov. 30. 

Honda’s CSR vision is structured around five pillars grounded in the automaker’s corporate values—education, environment, mobility, traffic safety and community—and includes giving from both Honda and the Honda USA foundation.

By aligning the CSR strategy around key areas of  societal commitment, Honda is taking steps toward its goal of helping people reach their life’s potential, according to the automaker. 

Meanwhile, Volkswagen of America is launching a new initiative in recognition of National First Responders Day. The automaker will provide fire and rescue stations with resources for first responder training purposes. The initiative kicks off at Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad in Maryland.

The  initiative will initially target fire stations in the communities surrounding Volkswagen Group of America’s headquarters in Herndon, Virginia, with plans to extend the outreach in the future. 

The first donations will be internal combustion engine vehicles. As the brand moves forward with electrification, the aim is to also provide electric vehicles for advanced training on vehicles equipped with high-voltage systems.

Finally, Nissan U.S. is renewing its partnership with Habitat for Humanity with an $800,000 donation to continue to help families build affordable homes. The aggregate of Nissan’s contributions amount to more than $19 million in donations since the partnership began in 2005.

This year, Nissan is also donating five vehicles. This brings their total to more than 150 to local Habitat organizations. They are also continuing their pledge to sponsor families in six locations across the U.S. with teamwork days to support home builds.

Each year since 2005, Nissan employees have logged more than 110,000 volunteer hours to work alongside families in cities close to Nissan’s major manufacturing and operational locations such as Michigan, Tennessee, Mississippi and Texas.