Mungenast Automotive Family Begins Second Decade of Support of St. Louis Community through NADA Foundation
ST. LOUIS (June 28, 2013) - Adding to its legacy in the Greater St. Louis community by providing annual grants to schools, food banks and civic causes, Diana Marie Mungenast is the eighth family member of the well-known dealership group to be named an Ambassador of the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation.
Diana is the wife of Raymond Mungenast, a member of the NADA Foundation's Board of Trustees, who operates Mungenast Automotive Family with his brothers, Kurt and David. All three are Ambassadors of the NADA Foundation program. The late David Mungenast, Sr., who started the family business in 1966 by acquiring a Toyota franchise, was named a Foundation Ambassador in 1999.
"The Ambassadors program reflects the Mungenast Family's four decade long commitment to contributing to the community they work in," said Don Levin, senior advisor of the dealership group, which operates six locations in the St. Louis area.
To become an Ambassador, a dealer, company, association or individual makes a tax-deductible contribution of $10,000 in their name or in recognition of someone living or deceased. They are then eligible to provide a $1,500 grant to an organization of their choice every three years in perpetuity.
"The Ambassadors program allows us to help keep the communities we work in strong," added Levin, who has worked at the dealership since 1967. "This is not something that you do once and it's done. This is a dynamic program that can do a lot of good over a long period of time."
Donors with three or more gifts of $10,000, like the Mungenasts, are designated Ambassadors of Distinction and can present $2,000 grants every year in perpetuity. Other Ambassadors in the family include Barbara Mungenast (mother), Lisa Mungenast (wife of David, Jr.) and Jessica Mungenast (daughter of David, Jr.)
Since 2002, the Mungenast's have provided a total of 14 NADA Foundation Ambassadors grants to charitable and educational organizations in St. Louis, which have included: Gene Slays Boy's Club of St. Louis, Cor Jesu Academy, St. Louis Area Food Bank, Depaul Health Center, DeSmet Jesuit High School, St. Louis County Police Welfare Association, Mehlville Fire Protection District, South County Police Business Association, University of Notre Dame and Jefferson College Foundation.
The Mungenast Automotive Family also provides continuing support to numerous other charitable organizations including the USO of Missouri, KlaasKids Foundation, Friends of Kids With Cancer and many others.
"The family's contributions mirror the wide range of charitable, civic and educational causes its members are involved with on an ongoing basis. We do not contribute to one specific organization," Levin said. "You have to paint the whole building. You can't just do one wall."
About the Ambassadors Program
Today, there are 633 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 civic organizations. This year, 215 Ambassadors will present grants to organizations of their choice. For more information or to become an Ambassador, visit the website, or contact the NADA Foundation at 703.821.7102 or foundation@nada.org.
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Jared Allen