Update (video): Operation Ward 57 wins Toyota's 100 Cars for Good program

By Northwest Military News Team on February 20, 2014

UPDATE: Operation Ward 57 received its free van from the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program at noon, Friday, Feb. 21 at Toyota of Tacoma. We captured the ceremony on video, which you can see below. ...

Remember when we told you Operation Ward 57 - the organization that supports critically injured and ill servicemembers locally and around the country - was is one of 250 nationwide finalists in Toyota's 100 Cars for Good program? Remember when we told you that if Operation Ward 57 received the most votes on Toyota's Facebook page, it would win a Toyota van to help with its mission?

Operation Ward 57 won.

Seattle/Tacoma based organization, OPERATION WARD 57 has been named a winner in Toyota's 100 Cars for Good program, which awards new vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public from Oct. 1 - Nov. 19, 2013.

OPERATION WARD 57 has received the most votes and has been named as a winner of a new TOYOTA SIENNA WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VAN, which will be used to transport the wounded warriors and their families off of Joint Base Lewis-McChord to morale boosting events, appointments and even assist them in moving into temporary housing. The public is invited to the van presentation ceremony this FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2014 at 12:00pm at Toyota of Tacoma, 7815 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409.

"The van will be housed in Washington state - and eventually will make it's way to Walter Reed - and will be used by Operation Ward 57 volunteers and case managers to take soldiers to medical appointments, on and off Joint Base Lewis-McChord, help transport to events, such as last night when we took several soldiers to the Paul Simon/Sting concert, or event to assist with moving," says Brittney Hamilton, executive director of Operation Ward 47.

Over the past two years of the program, Toyota has provided 200 nonprofits with new vehicles to support their work in the areas of disabled services, youth and educational programs, environmental services, veteran services, housing and disaster relief, among many others. For more information, visit www.100carsforgood.com.