Chicagoland New-Car Dealers Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic

Chicagoland New-Car Dealers Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic

CHICAGO (April 21, 2020) - Chicagoland's new-car dealers are perfectly positioned to provide vital and essential transportation services and also to come to the aide of their communities during this crisis. While most dealers are open for service and sales by appointment, many are doing so much more. Here's a rundown of just a few of the altruistic activities taking place at Chicago's new-car dealers. 

​Advantage Toyota of River Oaks- Since the start of the pandemic, Advantage Toyota of River Oaks is donating 50 grocery bags bimonthly — filled with groceries, toilet paper, face masks and more — to people in need within its community. Additionally, in conjunction with the Salvation Army, on May 22 and May 23, Advantage Toyota of River Oaks will be hosting events at its dealership where they’re inviting the community to donate items to people in need. The dealership will also donate a total of 50 filled grocery bags as a part of this initiative. 

Apple Chevrolet - Apple Chevrolet is offering free vehicle sanitizing for emergency personnel, first responders and medical personnel working on the front lines to defeat COVID-19.

Arlington Heights Ford - Arlington Heights Ford has donated food for everyone at the front lines of this crisis including doctors and nurses. The dealership is a true leader giving back to their community.  

Bill Stasek Chevrolet - Bill Stasek Chevrolet is helping make local kids’ birthdays one to remember by offering a free Birthday Car Parade. The dealership is decking out vehicles and bringing the fun (safely) to people in their community. Just tell them the date and time, and they’ll be there. 

Bob Loquercio Auto Group 
Bob Loquercio Auto Group is loaning its time and resources during this pandemic to support first responders and medical teams around the city of Chicago and suburbs. Dealership personnel have graciously delivered meals to the emergency room staff at Rush and University of Illinois hospitals. They’ve also been focused on keeping police and fire crews safe by delivering thousands of much-needed N95 masks to several districts and departments of the Chicago Police as well as Streamwood Police, Elgin and South Elgin Police and Fire. 

Fox Valley Auto Group 
Emir Abinion, founder of Fox Valley Auto Group, partnered with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and the nonprofit Cal’s Angels to facilitate the loaning of vehicles to nurses on the front lines of the crisis who need a way of getting to and from work. Fox Valley Auto Group sanitizes the vehicles prior to loaning them out; everything is free of charge. 

Gary Lang Auto Group- Gary Lang Auto Group is doing a number of things to ensure the safety and well-being of those in their community. First, they’re offering first responders and anyone in the medical community free oil changes and tire rotations with pick up and drop off of their vehicles to their home or place of employment. They are also covering customers’ first payment when they purchase a new vehicle so they don’t have any payments for 150 days. Secondly, the dealership has partnered with the Rise Up Foundation to deliver essential items to their senior neighbors in their county who may not be able to go to the store. Thirdly, they are donating 50,000 gloves and 2,500 N-85 masks to the City of McHenry to be distributed to critical care providers. In addition, they are offering no-charge sanitization of these workers’ vehicles using PermaSafe. This PermaSafe perpetual antimicrobial surface and air protection system kills 99.99 percent of harmful bacteria and viruses, makes treated surfaces virtually self-sanitizing and can last and remain effective indefinitely inside the vehicle. Finally, the dealership just received a shipment of 20-gallon jugs of hand sanitizer which will be distributed to different segments around the city.

Hawk Auto Group - In March, Hawk Auto Group donated thousands of gloves, masks, respirators and body suits to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox. 

Mazda Dealers - Local Mazda dealers are providing healthcare workers free oil changes and enhanced vehicle cleaning.

McGrath Auto Group - McGrath Auto Group donated 50,000 medical gloves to Central DuPage Hospital in March. The dealership is also currently working on getting ahold on medical shields for local hospitals. 

Ray Chevrolet and Ray Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram 
These Fox Lake based dealerships are offering free vehicle sanitizing to police vehicles within their communities. The dealerships are also providing free oil changes to first responders to thank them for their service. Additionally, as a way to spread joy to the community it has served for more than 60 years, the dealerships bought out the community drive-in theater, McHenry Outdoor Theater, for its opening night. A total of 400 families have their experience paid for, and the local theater now has the revenue to hopefully continue to do business throughout the season (as its business was in jeopardy). 

Subaru Dealers - Local Subaru dealers are donating to three local food banks that will benefit from Subaru’s national Feeding America initiative. Those food banks include: The Northern Illinois Food Bank, The Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. A total of 1,476,274 meals will be distributed by these food banks to Chicagoland residents in need.  

Taylor Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram - David Taylor, dealer Principal of Taylor Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Bourbonnais, decided to make life a bit easier for the frontline healthcare workers at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee. Last week, Taylor took their mobile service unit to the hospital campus and provided oil changes and inspections, free of charge, to Riverside employees. Riverside workers are working overtime and putting themselves on the front line in order to help stop the pandemic.