SOUTH AMBOY, N.J. (Oct. 25, 2012) - The DCH Auto Group has allocated its grants from the Ambassadors program of the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation to preventing the No. 1 cause of death among teens: car crashes.

To help fund its safety programs, DCH contributed $10,000 to name each of its dealerships (31 at the time) as NADA Foundation Ambassadors. DCH currently operates 29 dealerships in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Southern California.

The dealership group, which holds a record number of ambassadorships, recently received a $62,000 grant from the program to promote its safe driving programs for teens through education and advocacy.

To become an NADA Foundation Ambassador, a dealer, company, association or individual makes a tax-deductible contribution of $10,000 in their name or in recognition of a loved one, living or deceased. Ambassadors are then eligible to provide $1,500 grants every three years in perpetuity. Benefactors who have made three or more $10,000 donations are designated Ambassadors of Distinction and can present $2,000 grants every year in perpetuity.

Since 2008, DCH, based in South Amboy, N.J., has focused its charitable giving, community involvement and grassroots activism to the cause of safe driving for teens. What began as the DCH Teen Safe Driving program evolved this year into the DCH Teen Safe Driving Foundation.

"The DCH Teen Safe Driving Foundation was formed to take our advocacy to a new level and further our message that distracted driving, especially among new and young drivers, is dangerous and potentially deadly," said Shau-wai Lam, chairman of DCH Auto Group. "The disbursements we receive from the NADA Foundation's Ambassadors program help us fund programs and activities that raise awareness and inform both teens and their parents about the dangers of distracted driving."

Roy Bavaro, director of corporate marketing and brand development for DCH Auto Group and executive director of its foundation, said a significant portion of funds from the NADA Foundation will be designated as grants for high school students to attend the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) National Conference.

"The SADD conference allows students to interact with other youth, learn about the consequences of distracted driving and bring the information back to school to share with their peers," Bavaro added. "By empowering teens to become part of the solution, we're taking a positive approach and making smart driving socially acceptable among teens. Our goal is to change behavior that will create a social norm."

DCH has received $110,000 in grants from the Ambassadors program to date, which have supported SADD, CBS Stuff a Truck and Camp Sunshine. 

"It's important for businesses to be involved with their community and the NADA Foundation's Ambassadors program helps us do that," Lam added. "Strong community involvement helps dealerships gain distinction and greater community awareness, and it's a way to brand ourselves uniquely."

About DCH Auto Group

Headquartered in South Amboy, N.J., DCH Auto Group comprises 29 auto dealerships in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Southern California from Oxnard to San Diego, offering Acura, Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Kia, Honda, Lexus, Nissan, Scion and Toyota. DCH Auto Group is devoted to delivering a superior sales and service experience to its customers and is highly invested in the success of its employees. DCH Auto Group is committed to giving back to the communities in which its dealerships operate and its employees and customers live. The company is dedicated to the teen safe driving cause and is a sponsor of SADD. For more information, visit www.dchusa.com and www.dchtsdf.org.

About NADA Foundation's Ambassadors Program

Today, there are 587 Ambassadors who provide about $250,000 each year to organizations in the public or private sector, supporting a variety of causes from emergency medical services and education to job training for adults with disabilities. This year, 135 Ambassadors will present grants to organizations of their choice. For more information or to become an Ambassador, visit the Web site , or contact the NADA Foundation at (703) 821-7102 or foundation@nada.org.

About the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation

The NADA Foundation, established in 1975, is the philanthropic arm of the National Automobile Dealers Association. Funds contributed by new-car and -truck dealers and friends of the industry provide financial support to schools, private colleges and universities, emergency disaster relief and community service programs. For more information, visit www.nada.org/CharitableFoundation.