LAFAYETTE -- Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA) announced today that it will donate $50,000 to Japan-America Society of Indiana’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. 

In addition, to encourage SIA Associates to contribute to the relief efforts, the SIA Foundation will match each Associate’s donation to the fund, dollar-for-dollar, up to a $5,000 total contribution from the SIA Foundation.

“We are deeply concerned for all of the families and individuals who have been affected by the recent disaster in Japan,” said Tom Easterday, SIA’s executive vice president. “The infrastructure damage and on-going shortages of electricity and gasoline have created further hardship for those living in the most significantly impacted region, and for residents of other areas of Japan as well.  Many SIA Associates have close friends in Japan, so we have a strong desire to help the people of Japan in their time of need.”

SIA has a long-standing relationship with the Japan-America Society of Indiana, and chose to donate to the non-profit organization’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund because of its commitment to donate 100 percent of the funds to recognized Japanese relief organizations assisting the people in the regions that were impacted the most.

Regarding the disaster’s impact on operations at the SIA plant in Lafayette, “We will continue to assess the situation on a daily basis,” said Easterday. 

As a precaution, SIA has cancelled all overtime for this week. Due to the record sales of Subaru vehicles, SIA associates have been working daily and some Saturday overtime for the past 20 months. SIA continues to operate on a regular eight hour per shift schedule.

About SIA: Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA), a subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd., is the home of North American Subaru production. Models built at the plant include the Subaru Legacy, Outback and Tribeca. In 2007, SIA also began producing the Toyota Camry under contract with Toyota.  SIA employs over 3,000 Associates, and every SIA Associate is committed to quality, safety and environmental stewardship.  For more information, visit www.subaru-sia.com .