The 2023 Subaru Love Promise Community Commitment Award
We've been nationally recognized for our dedication to our community and the Subaru Love Promise.
We're honored to receive the 2023 Subaru Love Promise Community Commitment Award. This award nationally recognizes Subaru retailers who are making the world a better place while demonstrating an outstanding commitment to supporting passions and causes in local communities. These efforts are focused in important areas such as the environment, community, health, education, and pets.
What is the Subaru Love Promise?
Subaru and our retailers believe in making the world a better place and the Subaru Love Promise is our vision of respecting all people. This is our commitment to show love and respect to our customers and to work to make a positive impact in the world.
How is AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley dedicated locally to the Love Promise?
Subaru like Spokane itself is know for it's community. It is an honor for our village here at AutoNation Subaru to be a part of both. We will facilitate everywhere we can to improve the quality of life for the aged, young, pets and those of us who are not as a advantaged, not only with funds we raise but with hands on activities. Please join us and together we can make life here in Spokane better for all.
Spokane Humane Society
Five Mile Prairie View Element
YWCA, Meals On Wheels
NW Autism Center
Love Promise Stories from AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley
Subaru and AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley believe in making a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work. We uphold that belief through our Love Promise Community Commitment. Every month, we select inspiring stories from customers and partners from around our area who strive to support our collective commitment and feature them here
Subaru Share the Love® - Leslie W
The AutoNation Subaru team is simply top notch! I volunteer on the board of a local non-profit dedicated to helping families with children fighting childhood cancer, and we are so fortunate to see the work of the Subaru crew in action and to be the benefactors of their goodwill. We recently held an open house to which Jeff, Justin and the team showed up to celebrate with us and present us with an overwhelmingly generous donation. They didn’t have to show up in person but the fact that they took time from their busy schedules to be present for our group was very special and spoke volumes of their character, leadership, and commitment to community. They don’t just talk the talk, they drive the ride. I can’t speak highly enough about these outstanding human beings. -Kim Dempsey Board Chair
Sharing the Love with Local Kids on a Cancer Journey - Connie B
Fortunately, most parents never have to experience the terrifying, helpless feeling of watching their child battle cancer. When my daughter, Amanda, suffered through treatment for a high-grade brain tumor at age 12, and later, brutal treatment for leukemia at age 17, our family was blessed with offers of various kinds of assistance from many friends, family and even strangers. Their compassion and generosity definitely helped us get through that nightmare. One very special nonprofit, the American Childhood Cancer Organization Inland NW (ACCOIN), was able to provide something the others couldn’t –empathetic support from parents who understood exactly what we were going through because they had been through it themselves. This organization offers invaluable financial and emotional support during every step of the cancer journey and beyond, including survivorship and too often, bereavement. Most people don’t realize that the cancer journey doesn’t end when a child is declared “cancer free.” The specter of relapse is always present, and 2/3 of childhood cancer survivors will have long-lasting, chronic conditions from treatments. It was eye-opening to discover how many families in my area were dealing with the devastation of childhood cancer, and many that were facing it without the same support network I had. Seeing how vital the work of ACCOIN is to this group, I began a 20-year stint as an ACCOIN volunteer. Unfortunately, during that time I became eligible for and was grateful for their grief support services when Amanda’s stem cell transplant failed, and she gained her angel wings at age 18. So when I went to AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley to trade in my 2009 Forester for a 2020 Forester, I was ecstatic to find out they had chosen ACCOIN as their local charity for the Subaru Share the Love Event. It warmed my heart to see how they enthusiastically embraced ACCOIN and our local kids navigating a cancer diagnosis. Since then, AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley has donated over $20,000 to ACCOIN for two years in a row (and now working on a third year)! They also hosted a special event for our teen survivors, some of whom are dealing with disabilities from their treatments. Teens could sit in an actual race car and drive a race car simulator. It was inspirational for them to meet a young adult cancer survivor who is now on a racing circuit overseas. AutoNation also provided snacks and a shaved ice truck. THANK YOU, AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley for being an amazing, compassionate, and generous partner with ACCOIN and local kids with cancer!
Bringing out the Teen Group! - Leslie W
AutoNation Subaru in the Spokane Valley has been a valuable partner to our organization. The American Childhood Cancer Organization Inland NW is a local organization that serves kids and their families that are navigating a childhood cancer diagnosis. With the support of our local dealer, not only have they donated their treasure, but they threw in their talent and time to round out the real difference this store makes for our kids. They have supported our mission for the past two years and committed to this coming year. With their "treasure," if you talk to the sales staff, they know about our charity and share our mission with the customers as they make their "Share The Love" choices. With their "time," they made time to bring our Teen Support group and their parents out to the store this summer. They set up an exceptional event. Who doesn't love food? They provided food and shaved Ice. They also brought in a race car that the kids could climb into and a racing simulator to test their skills. (Will these be the next Subaru drivers?) This event was the first in-person event our teens have had since the pandemic, and it drew them out in mass. I cannot tell you how exciting this was to see them gather. For these kids, a gathering is strength. They gain power from relating to others who have been through the same thing they are going through with their treatments and diagnosis. This event brought kids together that had only met online. It was powerful to see them recognize and meet their friend in person. And the "talent," they used their expertise in the auto and racing industries to answer the questions from kids and parents about the race car, how it works, and how you stay in control. That analogy of "how do you stay in control?" was great to translate to their cancer diagnosis. "You take a deep breath, see the finish line (and sometimes it seems like a long way off), but visualize yourself finishing, and then you put your foot and the peddle and go for your goal... the finish line! Thank you to AutoNation Subaru in the Spokane Valley for your kindness on many levels. We really appreciate you.
American Childhood Cancer Organization teen support group hosted by Autonation Subaru Spokane Valley - Gabriel T
COVID-19 has been tough for everyone, but maybe a little tougher for some Spokane teen cancer patients and survivors. Since COVID-19 started, the American Childhood Cancer Organization of the Inland Northwest (ACCOIN) teen support group has not had any in person meetings or special functions. Denise from ACCOIN desperately want to get this group together for their first in-person function in over two years! I am also a teen cancer survivor from the Spokane area, and my name is Gabe Tesch, I am 19 years old. Since having cancer, Brain Cancer in my case, I have not wanted to take one single day for granted. I decided I was going to try to become a professional racecar driver. ACCOIN was there for me and my family while I was going through cancer treatment, they have become a very important organization to us, and I try to be involved with them as much as I can. When Denise reached out to me and told me she wanted to have the first in-person support meeting since COVID-19, I definitely wanted to be there. The problem was I was living in England racing cars in the British Formula Ford Championship. However, I was planning on coming back to Spokane to visit my family in late August. Denise said she would see what she could do to make the event happen when I was home. Jeff Gerken, the manager of Spokane Valley Subaru has been a friend of mine since I was going through treatment. I met Jeff because he raced vintage race cars with my dad. I always thought his racecars were so cool. Since I started racing, Jeff has given me some advice on my career and been there to help when I needed it. In fact earlier this year Jeff, through the Subaru Love Promise helped out ACCOIN with a big donation! I was so proud to be included in the presentation of that gift from Subaru! Anyhow, I don't remember exactly how this happened but Jeff and Subaru stepped up to the plate again to help with the teen support group get together. Jeff not only offered the showroom at the dealership for a place for us to get together, Subaru provided food and refreshments for everyone. Jeff brought his really cool racecar and I brought my profession racing simulator for everyone to drive and we all had a great time! Thank you to the Subaru Love Promise, AutoNation and Jeff Gerken for providing this opportunity for teen survivors and their families to get together.
Autonation Subaru Comforts Cancer Patients - Katie J
On Wednesday, June 26, 2019, Autonation Subaru of Spokane Valley partnered with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to give 80 blankets and arts and crafts kits to pediatric cancer patients at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. LLS exists to find cures for cancer and improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their families and Subaru helps LLS by donating critical research dollars to save more lives. This is the first year of this partnership and Sacred Heart was so thrilled to be able to hand out these beautiful, warm blankets and arts and crafts kits to their patients. These gifts are treasured by the patients as they are a welcome reprieve from the tolls pediatric cancer treatment takes on the body. Mary Savage from the Providence Health Care Foundation Foundation greeted Gail Swenson, Sales Manager of Autonation Subaru (both pictured here) and accepted the many boxes of items for patients. Sacred Heart Children’s and Providence Health Care Foundation is so thankful to be the recipient of this donation. Thank you for helping the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fund local life-saving research to beat cancer and provide programs and services for patients in Spokane Valley and beyond.
Above and beyond for meals on wheels - mark l
Everyone at AutoNation Subaru has been a valued customer over the last year in either driving routes to help deliver meals to home-bound senior citizens or participating in a number of fundraising campaigns. Last November we teamed up with AutoNation Subaru for their Share the Love event and received a grant for $2500 as a result of their dedication and effort to our cause. Just last week, General Manager Jerry Bick coordinated a "take a test drive" fundraising promotion where autonation donated $10 for each test drive made over a week. That store wide effort raised $470 for the benefit of GSC meals on wheels. These two activities combined for almost $3000 which equates to feeding roughly 30 local home-bound seniors for a month! Both GSC Meals on Wheel clients and staff are impressed, inspired and grateful for the friends that we have made at AutoNation Subaru and we are looking forward to this continued partnership for years to come. It's definitely a win win for everyone!
Meals on Subaru Wheels - Mark L
Team Subaru volunteered 11 days,delivered 160 meals over 17 delivery routes across Spokane Valley. The team also helped deliver box fans to those clients who requested them prior to the arrival of the recent heat wave. GSC Meals on Wheels covers the entire county utilizing 40 routes delivering over 400 meals a day - each meal providing ONE THIRD of their daily calories and nutritional requirements. Also, we have determined that for one third of the clients receiving their meals at home, that this lone meal is their only food for the day! And for approximately HALF the clients who receive a meal, the visit by one of our volunteer drivers is the only human contact they have all day!!
Parade of Paws - Dave R
Spokane Humane Society's 12th Annual Parade of Paws. A fun packed 2 or 4 mile walk to benefit the animals at the Spokane Humane Society waiting for their forever homes.
Someone was looking after her... - Evelyn A
On saturday November 22nd one of our sales associate Ethan Berk was driving back from lunch "from the corner of his eyes" saw a 1999 Subaru Outback limited on the side of the road broken down on busy street of sprague ave. He pulled over to assist a very nice older lady 82 years of age, asked if she was ok and then he proceeded back to his dealership "AutoNation Subaru" which is few blocks away to get help. Ethan came back to dealership and brought another sales associate to the trouble 1999 Subaru and both of them push the vehicle to our service department. customer then was given a free loaner vehicle while the vehicle was being repaired. she was very greatful of the kind service Ethan had provided. few day later she pick up her "now" fixed / repaired vehicle and made a side comment to Ethan when she was ready for a new car she would come see him. well; week later on November 29th she came in a bought a new 2015 Subaru Legacy and she is extremely happy with her purchase experience. This sale would have never happen if Ethen did not stop and do a good deed.
