For the FOURTH year in a row, United Way of Southwest Michigan and Tyler Automotive teamed up to provide a car giveaway challenge to United Way donors to incentivize this past campaign.
This incentive was for NEW donors who gave $156, which equates to roughly $3 per week. They were automatically entered into the drawing. For every additional $100 contributed, donors received an additional entry into the drawing. Ten finalists were revealed on January 26, 2021 via Facebook livestream, and one lucky person Stuart Coulston won a two-year lease on a subcompact vehicle on February 16, 2021 at Tyler Automotive in Stevensville via livestream.
Due to COVID, we had to do things a little differently this year. We had the finalists join us live online. Names were drawn out of a bowl and they got to pick which number key they wanted. One key started the car! UWSM president Anna Murphy did the honors of turning the keys on behalf of the finalists.
The community is the big winner in the end. The greater the participation, the more impact we create for families in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties.
United Way is all about the impact. A simple gift of $3 a week for a year can make a big difference! It provides one of the following:
- 34 meals for someone dealing with food insecurity.
- 2 months of support to help a young child learn to read.
- 1 free book for a child every month for 5 years.
- School supplies for 8 kids to start the school year.
- Support for 2 individuals to address their mental health.
- 1 year of a physical activity/nutrition program for a school-age youth.
Chris Tyler, owner of Tyler Automotive, said: “It’s about making a difference in the community. That’s what United Way is all about. And they’ve been making a difference for a very long time in Southwest Michigan. The car giveaway creates a very fun incentive, but it’s the impact in the community that matters most to us at Tyler Automotive.”
