Subaru of Jacksonville donates $115,500 to Wolfson Children’s Hospital

To kick off the 13th-annual Share the Love campaign and celebrate the success of last year’s philanthropic drive, Subaru of Jacksonville presented a check for $115,500 to Wolfson Children’s Hospital. The donation, which is the result of the 12th-annual Share the Love campaign, is the largest to-date from the local dealership since pledging a five-year commitment to Wolfson Children’s in 2016.

The gift will help fund care and advanced technology to treat critically ill and injured children at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, along with child passenger safety education through THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s. While the donation is usually announced and presented to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in the spring, it was delayed to coincide with the beginning of this year’s campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For this year’s Share the Love campaign, Subaru will donate $250 for every new vehicle purchased or leased from Subaru of Jacksonville between November 19, 2020, and January 4, 2021. Customers may choose between four national charities for the $250 donation – including ASPCA, Make a Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels and the National Park Foundation – or Subaru of Jacksonville’s hometown charity, Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Subaru of Jacksonville matches every $250 donation, regardless of the charity chosen by the customer, with all matching funds benefitting Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Additionally, Subaru of America and Subaru of Jacksonville donate $2 and $3, respectively, to Wolfson Children’s for every Subaru oil change at the dealership.

Subaru of Jacksonville was the first corporate partner to support trauma services at Wolfson Children’s and established the “Subaru of Jacksonville Porter Family Trauma Services Endowment,” creating a legacy of support for generations to come. Wolfson Children’s is the only state-designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the region.

Phil Porter, owner of Subaru of Jacksonville, said, “We are proud of the results and partnership with Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Everyone in our community has known someone or has personally benefited from the amazing care at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Jacksonville is so fortunate to have such outstanding care available for our children, and we consider it an honor to support the hospital and its remarkable staff.”

Subaru of Jacksonville has donated $476,448 to Wolfson Children’s Hospital since the partnership began in 2016. This year’s event is the final of a five-year pledge to support Wolfson Children’s.

“It’s our responsibility to not only care for the children fighting health battles inside our hospital, but also to educate the community to prevent childhood injury,” said Michael D. Aubin, FACHE, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “This support from Subaru of Jacksonville, Subaru of America and the Porter Family enables us to continue providing expert care for the region’s most vulnerable children, while advancing our mission to help all children lead healthy and injury-free lives.”

Subaru of Jacksonville, in partnership with Wolfson Children’s Hospital and THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health, also hosts free Child Passenger Car Seat Safety Checks the first Friday of each month to ensure children are safe on the roads.

In addition to supporting trauma services and child passenger safety, Subaru of Jacksonville has also sponsored the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Auxiliary’s “Wolfie Wagon,” providing children and families in the hospital an opportunity to choose treats, T-shirts, balloons and other goodies at no cost. Subaru of Jacksonville continues to sponsor and partner with Wolfson Children’s for special events throughout the year benefitting patients and families.

As a not-for-profit organization, Wolfson Children's Hospital relies on charitable donations to provide world-class, specialized pediatric care for all children in the region, regardless of ability to pay. The hospital opened in 1955, with the aid of an initial gift from the Wolfson Family Foundation, as a place for all children to be admitted and treated without regard to creed, religion, race or financial position. That original mission remains today.

Subaru of Jacksonville is a family-owned and run business that was opened in August 2000 by current owner, R. Phillip Porter, in order to serve the people of Jacksonville and surrounding communities including Orange Park, Middleburg and St. Augustine. The Subaru of Jacksonville team lives in the community, works in the community and supports the community through donations, sponsorships, volunteerism and community events. Subaru of Jacksonville was awarded the 2017 Subaru Love Promise Award, a national award given to only one of over 600 dealerships, for their commitment to the community. Subaru of Jacksonville is also the recipient of DealerRater's National Subaru Dealer of the Year Award for 2020 and DealerRater's Florida Subaru Dealer of the Year Award for the sixth year in a row - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020. “We Only Do Subaru - And We Are Passionate About It.”