HERMISTON — Rogers Toyota of Hermiston recently made a $2,000 donation to help area foster families.

The money was recently presented to Marvin Hamilton, a recruitment and retention champion for District 9 and 12 (which includes Umatilla and Morrow counties) of the Department of Human Services Child Welfare program. The donation, Hamilton said, will go to the foster parent and child welfare fund. It will be used for the retention of resource homes, event funding and other needs of resource families.

“These funds is what district 12 ODHS office relies on when it comes to purchases of items that are not part of state approved funding but helps the retention and welfare of resource families,” he said.

For example, Hamilton said, every year there is a Umatilla and Morrow county resource parent appreciation dinner. The special dinner is held to recognize the resource families. He said the event expenses add up with renting the hall, catering and entertainment.

“The funds to have such a dinner is a result of community donations and fundraising within the department,” Hamilton said.

Rogers Toyota is no stranger to helping the children of Umatilla and Morrow counties, Hamilton said. In addition to donations, they have hosted past fundraisers.

In early April, Hamilton approached Glenn Silaski, the dealership’s general manager, about a donation to the child welfare program to provide community support for the children and families in the area. Hamilton said Silaski saw an opportunity to do more than just a simple in-house fundraiser.

In a November 2019 interview, Silaski said the company encourages a spirit of community and giving.

“They’re our kids too,” Silaski said about area foster children. “We just believe strongly in helping kids’ programs to help them grow up to be a part of the community.”

Silaski rallied his professional sales team and with every car that was sold, a percentage was earmarked for child welfare. The sales staff energetically sold vehicles but with the lingering impacts of COVID-19, there weren’t as many people interested in buying a car.

Pressing toward their goal to help area foster families, the Rogers Toyota sales team raised $1,000. Silaski and his crew didn’t stop there, they asked their corporate office to match what they had raised to double the amount donated, which brought the total to $2,000.