Antioch-based Raymond Auto Group covered $20,000 towards a 2020 Chevrolet Express Cargo van to Open Arms Mission, a local food pantry which recently received a $20,000 grant administered by the Lake County Board. The dealership jumped at the opportunity to cover the remaining $20,000. 

Open Arms Mission provides daily living necessities such as food and toiletries to individuals and families in need while encouraging self-sufficiency. The pantry has remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue serving its community, making health and safety adjustments such as offering a drive-thru distribution to eliminate indoor face-to-face contact. Since last spring, Open Arms Mission has distributed more food — especially to families with children — in an effort to ease food insecurities during the pandemic.

"Raymond Auto Group has served Antioch and surrounding towns for 60 years, and is committed to being there when our community needs a little help," said Mark Scarpelli, president of the group. "This case is no exception."  

The dealer group has partnered with Open Arms Mission for the last decade on various projects to help those in need right within the Antioch community. 

"Our philosophy," said Open Arms Mission Executive Director Marytherese Ambacher, "has always been neighbor helping neighbor, and we feel blessed that Raymond Auto Group stepped up to help us meet the needs of community members who are food insecure,.

"The van will be used to pick up reclaimed food and donations from local grocery stores and deliver food to homebound neighbors."

Local new-car dealers are perfectly positioned to come to the aid of their communities. The Chicago Automobile Trade Association, the area’s new-car dealer association, has been a longtime supporter of local nonprofit organizations. Since the inception of its Chicagoland Dealers Care program in 2008, the CATA has donated more than $100,000 to local charitable organizations supported by its dealer members.

For more information on Raymond Auto Group and the CATA, visit RaymondDeals.com and CATA.info, respectively. For more about Open Arms Mission, see OpenArmsMission.org.