Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Arbor Day Foundation Build Environmental Leaders with Support From Toyota

Lincoln, Neb. (December 14, 2012) – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, launched an aggressive campaign to recruit and train environmental leaders at colleges and universities across the country through a new partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and the sponsorship of Toyota.

Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded in 1908 in Washington, DC, and is the oldest Greek-lettered organization established by African-American, college-educated women.

Under the new partnership, nine paid-internships for college students will be offered to engage Alpha Kappa Alpha chapters in tree-planting events and help their respective campuses achieve Tree Campus USA recognition. Alpha Kappa Alpha previously worked with the Foundation and Toyota in 2012 on a series of campus tree-plantings, primarily at historically-black colleges and universities.

The Foundation will lead a pilot orientation training session today in Atlanta for the newly selected Arbor Day Foundation interns comprised of undergraduate members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., from various U.S. chapters. Attorney Sharon Bridges, chairman of the International Program Committee, and committee members Jennifer Congleton and Manitia Moultrie are among those participating in the training.

The initiative supports Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's programmatic theme: Global Leadership Through Timeless Service.

"Today we expand opportunities to Undergraduate members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., through our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation," said Carolyn House Stewart, the sorority's International President. "They will receive substantive training related to environmental stewardship and sustainability and will share this information by hosting a myriad of programs and events on their respective campuses."

"Toyota is delighted by this exciting partnership to broaden the reach and diversity of the Tree Campus USA program and educate students about the importance of caring for campus forests," said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of National Philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation at Toyota Motor North America.

During 2011, the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota helped campuses throughout the country plant 30,000 trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities have invested more than $22 million in campus forest management. A complete list of participating colleges and universities is available at arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.

Additional Media Contacts:

Luis Rosero, 212-715-7493
[email protected]

Melody McDowell, 773-660-2001
[email protected]

About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of one million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org, or by visiting us on Facebook, Twitter or our blog.

About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization that was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-lettered organization established by African-American college-educated women. It is comprised of over 265,000 members in 969 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U. S. Virgin Islands, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea and on the continent of Africa. Its membership includes distinguished women who boast excellent academic records, proven leadership skills, and are involved in the global community through advocacy and service. Alpha Kappa Alpha has dedicated itself to improving the quality of life for citizens worldwide and promoting peace. The organization is led by its 28th International President Carolyn House Stewart of Tampa, Florida whose administration's programmatic theme is "Global Leadership Through Timeless Service." For more information about Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., log on to www.aka1908.com.

About Toyota: Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants. Toyota directly employs over 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $600 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit toyota.com/philanthropy.