TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024--
As a partner of Food Banks Canada, VinFast, a leading electric vehicle (EV) brand, is excited to announce its latest initiative to support food banks across Canada. Launching on November 18 and running through December 31, 2024, VinFast's Food Banks Canada Initiative will donate 100 meals to people in need for every test drive taken. With a goal of reaching 1,000 test drives nationwide, VinFast aims to provide up to 100,000 meals for Canadians in need by the end of the year.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121846317/en/
A Drive for Change
The VinFast Food Banks Canada Support Initiative is a unique opportunity to make a difference by simply test-driving an innovative VinFast EV. Each test drive will translate into 100 meals, equivalent to a $50 donation to local food banks, with a national target of providing $50,000 CAD in meals. The initiative highlights VinFast’s commitment to supporting communities while showcasing its range of sustainable electric vehicles.
Customers are encouraged to bring friends along, as each friend who also completes a test drive will generate an additional 100 meals, multiplying the impact. Furthering VinFast's commitment to community support, HQ staff will also be volunteering during the holiday season to help transport donations and provide hands-on assistance for local food banks.
Giving Back Through Sustainable Innovation
VinFast’s new program brings together the brand’s dedication to sustainability and social responsibility, aligning with the values of eco-conscious consumers, families, and professionals who are looking for meaningful ways to make a difference.
“Our Food Banks Canada Support Initiative lets customers experience our innovative all-wheel drive EVs while giving back to the community. A single test drive can provide a day’s meals for multiple families in need,” said Mr. Robert Muller, Deputy CEO of Sales and Marketing, VinFast North America. “Through this initiative, we’re excited to bring people together in the spirit of giving, and we invite Canadians across the country to join us in making an impact this holiday season.”
How to Participate
Consumers can visit any VinFast store nationwide to participate. For more information and store locations, please visit https://vinfastauto.ca/en
Campaign Activation
The Food Banks Canada Support Initiative will be supported by a multi-channel campaign across social media, digital ads, and in-store promotions. With separate English and French Canadian versions, the campaign will reach a broad audience across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and shopping centers.
Join VinFast in its mission to support food banks and provide 100,000 meals this holiday season—one test drive at a time. Visit a VinFast store, bring a friend, and make a difference through the power of sustainable driving.
About VinFast
VinFast (NASDAQ: VFS), a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam’s largest conglomerates, is a pure-play EV manufacturer with the mission of making EVs accessible to everyone. VinFast’s product lineup today includes a wide range of electric SUVs, e-scooters, and e-buses. VinFast is currently embarking on its next growth phase through rapid expansion of its distribution and dealership network globally and increasing its manufacturing capacities with a focus on key markets across North America, Europe and Asia. Learn more at: https://vinfastauto.ca/en
About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada is the leader in addressing food insecurity in Canada. Our mission is to provide national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast to coast to coast. For over 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity. Over 5,500 food banks and community organizations come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours, who – this year – made over 2 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report. Since 2010, Food Banks Canada has shared over $829 million in food supports and over $245 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity – while, backed by leading research, advocating for meaningful actions from governments to counter hunger and its root causes. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca to learn more.
VinFast Canada partners with Food Banks Canada (Photo: Business Wire)
Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation.
The Republican's announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department.
Here's the latest:
In his Nov. 13 resignation letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gaetz said, “I hereby resign, as United States Representatives for Florida’s First Congressional District, effective immediately, and I do not intend to take the oath of office for the same office in the 119th Congress, to pursue the position of Attorney General in the Trump Administration.”
He transmitted a similar letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the state began a special election process to fill the vacancy.
Attorneys involved in a civil case brought by a Gaetz associate were notified this week that an unauthorized person accessed a file shared between lawyers that included unredacted depositions from a woman who said Gaetz had sex with her when she was 17 and a second woman who says she saw the encounter, according to attorney Joel Leppard.
Leppard said that two women he represents told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017 when Gaetz was in Congress.
The files the person was able to access were part of a defamation case filed by a Gaetz associate against the former representative’s onetime political ally Joel Greenberg, who pleaded guilty in 2021 to sex trafficking of a minor, and admitted that he had paid at least one underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The apparent breach was first reported Tuesday by The New York Times.
Gaetz has denied all the allegations.
▶ Read more about the apparent file breach
Trump had announced last week that he’d chosen Todd Blanche, an attorney who’s defended him in some of his criminal cases, to serve as deputy attorney general. That’s the second highest ranking position at the Justice Department.
A former federal prosecutor, Blanche has been a key figure defended him both in the New York hush money criminal trial that ended in a conviction in May, and the federal cases brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Thursday in a post on X that he believes the now-former congressman “will continue to contribute to our nation’s wellbeing for years to come.”
Graham, a member of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, also said he looks forward to working with Trump “regarding future nominees to get this important job up and running.”
The caption of the Instagram photo reads “The end of an era. No one loves America more than this guy.”
The Florida representative was once embroiled in a sex trafficking investigation involving underage girls by the Justice Department, the very department President-elect Trump had tapped him to lead.
Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and in February 2023 said the investigation ended with no federal charges against him.He was also being investigated by the House Ethics panel, but Republicans declined yesterday to release the committee’s findings over objections from Democrats in a split vote.
▶ Read more about the Justice Department’s investigation into Gaetz
He had abruptly resigned from his congressional seat upon being nominated as attorney general amid a long-running House Ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, which was seen as a way to halt the probe.
The House Ethics panel’s Republicans declined this week to release the committee’s findings into Gaetz over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again Dec. 5 to discuss the matter.
However, Gaetz did win re-election earlier this month for the new Congress which convenes Jan. 3. But it’s unclear if he would take office. There’s also been plans for a special election in Florida for his seat.
“President Trump remains committed to choosing a leader for the Department of Justice who will strongly defend the Constitution and end the weaponization of our justice system,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team.
In a message on his Truth Social network, Trump also said he was looking forward to seeing what Gaetz will do next after withdrawing as his pick.
“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump posted. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Matt Gaetz has just withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on the former congressman’s ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer.
The Florida Republican’s announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department.
Gaetz’s withdrawal is a blow to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration and the first sign that Trump could face resistance from members of his own party.
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., closes a door to a private meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
