Mitsubishi Motors Joins with Breakfast Club of Canada

Two Organizations Driving Social Change

MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Mitsubishi Motors' has embarked on a national partnership with Breakfast Club of Canada with a goal of making a difference in Canadian communities, large and small.

The unique, multi-year partnership involves financial support of Breakfast Club of Canada's programs, but also expanded fundraising and the potential for community participation among Mitsubishi Motors' 90 Canadian dealerships.

Breakfast Club of Canada ushers a new direction for Mitsubishi Motors' corporate social responsibility. Established in 2002 in Canada but a global force in automotive innovation since 1917, Mitsubishi Motors drives change by reducing the environmental impact of driving with highly fuel efficient, gasoline, electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. For its part, Breakfast Club of Canada nurtures young Canadians to further their potential for healthier futures.

"Driving social change has many dimensions.  At Mitsubishi Motors we are focused on fuel efficiency and lower emissions in the same Canadian communities where Breakfast Club of Canada feeds children to encourage healthy minds and bodies," said Kenny Yamamoto, president and CEO, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada.

"But it goes beyond that. Our society needs bright, stimulated young minds to nurture the innovation that leads to a greener, more sustainable future.  That's at the core of our new partnership with Breakfast Club of Canada, and it complements our respective brands," he added.

For the current fiscal year, the Mitsubishi Motors contribution will be at least $100,000 plus vehicles.  The money is expected to feed an estimated 100,000 Canadian children but, more importantly, will help activate new breakfast programs for schools currently on a national waiting list.  That, says Breakfast Club of Canada founder Daniel Germain, is a priority for the organization:

"We believe that every student deserves the very best opportunity to succeed. We are proud to be partnering with Mitsubishi Motors and offer students the chance to start their day with the fuel they need to learn," he said.

Most of the 1,400 communities in which Breakfast Club feeds children include a Mitsubishi Motors dealership. From Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, to Alma and Saguenay in Quebec, and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Mitsubishi Motors dealerships have an opportunity to join the national company to help make a difference in the lives of children.

With a stated goal to commit 20 per cent of worldwide production to electric or plug-in electric vehicles, Mitsubishi Motors has taken a decidedly green path to its future, and Canada has been an important part of that transformation.

It began with the introduction of one of Canada's first mass-produced all-electric vehicles: The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a technological tour-de-force hatchback that produces zero emissions.  None.  And for two years i-MiEV was deemed Canada's most fuel efficient subcompact vehicle. That was followed by the 2014 introduction of the Mitsubishi Mirage – a three cylinder hatchback boasting top fuel economy and, with that, reduced emissions.

For 2016, Mitsubishi Motors has launched the Mirage G4 subcompact sedan with class-leading fuel economy.  A game-changing plug-in hybrid version of the Mitsubishi Outlander is also set to arrive.  Among the world's first twin-motor, 4WD plug-in hybrid SUVs, Outlander PHEV will offer all-electric operation for everyday use and hybrid (electric and gasoline) for longer journeys.

And the Canadian company is not alone in its pursuit of supporting kids. Mitsubishi Motors Thailand funds student agricultural programs wherein kids harvest vegetables and raise poultry for their own consumption. In Japan, Mitsubishi Motors supports environmental studies – including electric vehicle technology – in secondary schools, along with a forest preservation project. In Sweden, Mitsubishi Motors supports children's cancer awareness. Moreover, a group of orphanages are supported by Mitsubishi Motors in Poland and in the Philippines school books and supplies are provided.

Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada (MMSCAN) is the sales, service, parts and marketing arm for Japan's Mitsubishi Motors with 90 dealerships across Canada. With a product range consisting of Lancer sedan and Sportback, Mirage hatchback and G4 sedan, RVR compact crossover, Outlander compact sport utility and the all-electric i-MiEV hatchback, MMSCAN supports its dealerships with a head office team and parts distribution centre -- both located in Mississauga, Ontario.  Established in 2002, MMSCAN and its dealerships employ over 1,200 people in communities large and small.  In 2015, MMSCAN was named an AON Best Employer, earning "gold" status among Canada's small and medium organizations. 

For 20 years, Breakfast Club of Canada has been nourishing children's potential by making sure as many of them as possible have access to a healthy morning meal before school  in an environment that allows their self-esteem to grow and flourish. But the Club is much more than a breakfast program: we take a broader approach that promotes the core values of engagement, enrichment and empowerment, and we team up with communities and local partners to develop solutions adapted to their specific needs. Operating from coast to coast, the Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 167,000 students every day in 1,455 schools.

For more information and photos please visit www.mitsubishi-motors-pr.ca and www.breakfastclubcanada.org.

SOURCE Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada

Image with caption: "Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada president & CEO Kenny Yamamoto is flanked by employees Hansa Pandya, left, Laurie Martin and Melody Thomas. (CNW Group/Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160707_C1545_PHOTO_EN_727796.jpg

For further information: Media Contact: John Arnone, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Manager, Public Relations, [email protected]