Chicagoland Dealers Care

Stereotypes can be difficult to overcome. The tired notion that car dealers are tight-fisted is one the CATA consistently fights to reverse. In reality, most dealers are a benevolent lot, donating both money and time to causes that help their communities. The latest example of the largesse of dealers comes in the form of Chicagoland Dealers Care, a new program by the CATA to help dealers support local causes.

Chicagoland Dealers Care provides up to $1,500 in matching grants for a dealer's contributions to local charities. Grant requests can be for a variety of causes: academic programs, cultural arts, performing arts, medical research, and even humanitarian needs.

Dealers won't be solicited to sustain the operating budget for Chicagoland Dealers Care. Instead, the program is funded by the CATA. Chicagoland Dealers Care operates under the First Look for Charity Foundation, which has raised more than $32 million for Chicago area charities since the Chicago Auto Show's black-tie event began in 1992.

As a part of the program, the CATA also continues in its partnership with NBC5 Chicago to spotlight the positive things that new-car dealers do regularly in their communities.

Some initiatives have been developed into 15-second spots broadcast on NBC5, and all are trumpeted on the CATA's weekly radio show, "Drive Chicago," at 8 a.m. Saturdays on WLS 890 AM; and on the association's website, ChicagolandDealersCare.com. To discuss this program in more detail, contact the CATA's Sandi Potempa at 630-424-6065, spotempa@cata.info.

Click here to review the Chicagoland Dealers Care brochure that will further explain the application requirements for charitable support in the community where you do business.