Soldier On Receives Boost From Haddad ToyotaBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:49AM / Saturday, December 17, 2022 | |
 Soldier On President and CEO Bruce Buckley receives a check for $10,000 from Haddad Toyota from George Haddad on Friday.
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Christmas came early for Soldier On when they were awarded a sizeable donation from a local car dealership.
awarded a sizeable donation from a local car dealership.
On Friday, Haddad Toyota presented the organization with a $10,000 matching check that accompanied a Veterans Day fundraiser. For the month of November, a portion of every car sale was donated to Soldier On.
President and CEO Bruce Buckley said partnerships like this enable the organization to keep serving veterans.
Soldier On has a fleet of more than 100 Toyota vehicles leased from the dealership that help transport veterans throughout the region to get essential services.
"Really it's been 10-plus years and it's a critical part of what we do," Buckey said.
For owner George Haddad, the benefit is twofold: it presents the ability to give back to the community while being supported by it.
"Giving back to the community is extremely important," he said.
"Doubly important is having a relationship where people are loyal back and support the dealership and we support them so it's very important for us to be able to support and help Soldier On. I believe in the program, I like the program, and they help support us by buying all the cars that they buy."
Haddad's Chief Operating Officer John Buxton said it is great to help veterans who have done so much for the country. He was glad to see the effort's successful outcome.
"It's great that we had the support of the community and for such a good cause," Buxton added.
Toyota also participated as a manufacturing partner.
Solder On's fleet manager Cory Bazinet explained that they have been working with Haddad for a decade.
"As a nonprofit organization, we're always looking to raise money. This is a great partnership and George wanted to do something great for us so we got Toyota corporate involved," he said.
"We're hoping to grow that relationship, too. We drive Rav4s and Siennas all over the place to get veterans off the street and into housing so it's a cool partnership."
Soldier On has been providing homeless veterans with transitional housing and support services for decades.
The organization has three housing locations: a 165-bed shelter leased from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Leeds; a 71-bed transitional living facility in Pittsfield and the 39-unit housing cooperative Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community in Pittsfield.
The Tewksbury location received the support of a rock star and NFL team this past Veterans Day, as the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation partnered with the New England Patriots Foundation for a joint match grant to support the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community. Soldier On seeks to provide a continuum of housing and support services with construction planned for the spring and a grand opening the following year.
Earlier this year, iBerkshires spoke to the Pittsfield location's kitchen staff about how they worked through the pandemic to feed those in need.
Soldier On partners with the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority to provide reliable and affordable transportation services to county veterans and their families.
The organization's transportation call center is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 413-418-4300 or toll-free at 855-483-8743.
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