While known for their motto ‘Locally owned, locally committed’ and the ever-popular ‘I wanna see ya in a Kia,’ Taylor Automotive Family serves up more than just cars for northwest Ohio.

Inspired by his parents' giving nature, Steve Taylor II wants to help lift the community through the dealership's business and philanthropic efforts, but aims to prioritize building relationships with the organizations and individuals they support.

“It's not just writing a check, it’s seeing what else we can do,” said Mr. Taylor. “Really, what we've tried to do with a lot of these organizations is create a partnership.”

Often done in private, the Taylor Automotive Family feels it’s now ‘time for Taylor’ to share their efforts with hopes of being an example of community service thereby inspiring others also to adopt a nature of generosity.

Tom Cole, Taylor’s community outreach coordinator and six community ambassadors pound the pavement, seeking ways to get involved and give back to the communities where they live, work, and play. Out of Taylor dealerships in Toledo, Perrysburg, Findlay, and Lima, the ambassadors initiate connections and foster collaborations.

“We have all these ambassadors in our communities every day, trying to help folks, and it's not just handing them checks,” said Mr. Cole, who joined the Taylor Family seven years ago after retiring from teaching, coaching, and sports broadcasting at BCSN.

“Steve and Mr. Taylor [Sr.] are about relationships,” he said. “Yes, we write the checks, but it's ‘how can we be a partner with you? How can we help you and maintain a relationship of helping you.’”

The Taylor Automotive Family has sponsored, partnered, and been donors to Mom’s House, Unruly Arts, Toledo Museum of Art, Connecting Kids to Meals and Warriors Way, the YMCA, and Toledo Public Schools, just to name a few.

The group has poured into organizations that help women escape domestic violence, food pantries, and shelters that support families in crisis, and the team has given away cars and countless toys to those in need within the community.

In January, the automotive family donated $1 million dollars towards the establishment of the Taylor Cancer Research Center. And while the donation was significant, the Taylor’s want the focus of the effort to be on the new clinical research program underway that is set to benefit cancer patients in northwest Ohio with groundbreaking clinical trials.

Mr. Taylor highlighted the importance and impact of small acts of kindness, including recognition. Steve Taylor's Stars of The Week, an in-house broadcast, highlights the work of community organizations, while the High School Star of the Week segment recognizes student-athletes making strides in the region.

On the show Wednesday, the group recognized Kendall Braden from Toledo Christian Schools, who broke the school's basketball record by scoring 48 points. Jase Bowen, now 23 and a former High School Star of the Week from Central Catholic High School, received kudos for now being a part of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

When local shelter Leading Families Home announced its February “28 Days of Love Fundraiser,” the Taylor family saw it as a great opportunity to give to the facility while also uplifting the resident participants. With a donation of $500, the dealership purchased hearts bearing personal notes of encouragement for all 75 people in the shelter.

“We’re so excited. They’re all personally written from everybody here at Taylor, and we’re going to put these on our wall with all the names of everyone in our shelter so they can walk by and read them and hopefully be encouraged,” Danielle Edwards, marketing communications manager of the shelter.

While he could probably research the total amount the Taylor Automotive Family has spent on charitable acts, Mr. Taylor said that budget is not his priority but rather the impact of helping others and the subsequent relationships that are formed.

“My dad's really involved with the museum. I know he's given a lot to [them],” Mr. Taylor said. “There's a lot of other organizations that my dad and I support besides what the ambassadors do but I do know it's substantial.”

“The overall message of Steve and Mr. Taylor [Sr] is they want to help lift the community, and they do that every day,” Mr. Cole said. “And I think it's a feeling of not bragging about what we're doing but just giving an example of what you can do as an individual or what you can do as a company.”

Giving is the Taylor's “big thank you to the community,” he said.

“Essentially, we're lifting our community and I think that's the mantra for the Taylors,” Mr. Cole said. “They're not talking about selling cars, they sell plenty of cars but because they've been so successful and they feel so grateful, Steve and Mr. Taylor [Sr] has turned that back to the community.

Having worked as an ambassador for nearly six years, retired basketball legend Terry Crosby calls the team genuine and supportive, adding that his second career is proving to be very fulfilling.

“My life has gone full circle. It started here at Toledo, then overseas for 30 years, and then just to come back here and be given a platform to give back to those same communities and to some of those same people I grew up with,” Mr. Crosby said.

“If you see me do what I do, it’s not about me. It's about God. I’m one of God’s servants,” he said. “And, as long as I stay obedient to him, this is what he's happy for me to do.”

The newest ambassador, Mary Helen Darah of Sylvania, created the “Women in the Driver’s Seat” segment, where she interviews women in the community who are making a difference. Ms. Darah said she loves how sometimes just a small gift has the power to “jumpstart something incredible.”

“Every day, I get to hit the ground running and strengthen our community,” she said. “And that's the absolute best feeling in the world to represent Taylor and all that they do and to make an impact in so many different ways.”

Melinda Sanchez, who has also worked in sales, said that the most fulfilling part of being an ambassador is working within the community where she takes a special role — the Latina community.

She heads the Guerrero Memorial Scholarship Awards, where local students are honored and awarded a total of $10,000 in scholarships at an event at Taylor Hyundai in Perrysburg.

“I believe working in the community and showing that Steve Taylor is not just about selling cars,” she said.

The group has given to Habitat for Humanity to build homes, surprises waitstaff with large tips during the holidays with “Steve’s Tip Card,” donates annually to Hannah’s Socks, which provides socks to local homeless shelters, and supports the African-American sports legends — and so much more.

Mr. Taylor said that, for him, giving is as a lifelong commitment and emphasized that it was instilled by his parents who taught them the value of giving back through various acts of kindness and volunteer work, including stuffing envelopes for an auction and donating old toys to a local organization.

“My dad, since he started the company in 79, he's always said that he's locally owned, locally committed and as being committed to a community that supports us, we want to give back,” Mr. Taylor said. “So I've just seen it my whole life.”

First Published February 17, 2024, 2:30 p.m.