Lake City, FLA. – November 12, 2021 – For combat-wounded veterans, transitioning from the military back to civilian life can be a challenge. That, combined with the cost of a new vehicle, can put added burdens on our nation’s military service members and their families. To help, Wells Fargo teamed up with Rountree Moore Toyota and Military Warriors Support Foundation to present a payment-free 2021 Toyota RAV4 LE to former U.S Army Specialist Linda Jiaorong Lin on Veterans Day at Rountree Moore Toyota in Lake City, Florida.
“I am grateful to Military Warriors Support Foundation, Rountree Moore Toyota and Wells Fargo for choosing me to receive this payment-free vehicle. This vehicle will help me get to the Veteran Affairs hospital for my appointments and enable me to visit my mother at the nursing home and take her out for outings. I would also love to go paddle boarding in the near future and having this SUV will give me enough room to do that,” shared Specialist Lin.
The donation was made through Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Transportation4Heroes program, which awards payment-free vehicles and provides one year of family and financial mentorship to combat-wounded veterans and Gold Star families. According to the Foundation, the counseling has helped families in its program pay down, on average, about $30,000 in debt.
Linda Jiaorong Lin, a former U.S Army Specialist, was born and raised in China. In 2007, she immigrated to the United States, where she later joined the U.S. Army in 2011. Lin served as a 91D – Tactical Power Generation Mechanic, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, home to the Army’s 1st Infantry Division. Lin was deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in 2012 with her Maintenance Company. While deployed for her first tour, Specialist Lin sustained combat-related injuries, and later was honorably discharged from the military. Throughout her four-year military career, she earned the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Today, she resides in Jacksonville, Florida, and pursues therapeutic activities that help her cope with her injuries.
Wells Fargo Auto, a division of Wells Fargo Consumer Lending, started the Sponsored Vehicle Donation Program in 2015, and since then have worked with auto dealerships across the country to sponsor the donation of more than 60 payment-free vehicles and family and financial mentoring, valued at over $2 million, to combat-wounded veterans and Gold Star families through Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Transportation4Heroes program.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is the leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 37 on Fortune’s 2021 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo.
About Military Warriors Support Foundation
Military Warriors Support Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, founded by LTG Leroy Sisco (Ret), in 2007. Their mission is to provide programs that facilitate a smooth and successful transition for our nation’s combat-wounded heroes and Gold Star families. Their programs focus on housing and homeownership, recreational activities, transportation assistance and leadership development. Through select programs, they have awarded nearly 900 mortgage-free homes and over 100 payment-free vehicles to combat-wounded heroes, Gold Star spouses, and their families in all 50 states. In addition to the home or vehicle, the families receive family and financial mentoring. For more information, visit MilitaryWarriors.org.
About Rountree Moore Toyota
Rountree Moore has been a part of the community and a family business since 1925. In 2016 the Morgan Automotive group purchased the Rountree Moore Group and continued to hold it to the original high standards and “family business” values. Father and son duo, Larry, and Brett Morgan, have owned and operated the Morgan Automotive Group since they purchased their first Toyota store in 2004. Rountree Moore Toyota wants their community to thrive and aims to help in any way they can. With Lake City being a veteran town, Rountree Moore Toyota felt it was extremely important to give back to those that help protect our freedom on this Veterans Day.
Media Contact Information
Wells Fargo
Michelle Palomino, 786-296-1817
Michelle.Palomino@wellsfargo.com
@WellsFargo
Military Warriors Support Foundation
John Hill, 210-615-8973 ext. 112
Media@militarywarriors.org
@WarriorsSupport
Rountree Moore Toyota
Samantha Arends, 239-691-0028
Sarends@affinitiv.com
@RMToyota