Kingston dealership has long history of working with local charitable organizations

Since the early 1960s, the Taylor name has been a fixture on the automotive scene in Kingston, Ont., first representing Chrysler until 1979 and then as a General Motors franchise. It has also become synonymous with the spirit of giving in the Limestone City.

Taylor AutoMall has been a longtime supporter of local charities, non-profit organizations and cultural events. The company’s founder, Jerome Taylor, was a generous backer of the Salvation Army and its mission to help the less fortunate, especially during the holiday season.

After his passing in 2006, the local newspaper and the Salvation Army decided to name the annual Christmas fundraiser in Kingston in his honour. Known as the Jerome Taylor Memorial/Whig Standard Christmas Hampers of Hope Fund, the yearly campaign to help those in need has raised $2.5 million in the last 16 years thanks to the efforts of local individuals and businesses.

Last year alone, the program raised $175,000 and delivered meals to 3,000 homes, helping more than 12,000 people.

More recently, Taylor AutoMall recently donated $5,000 to the Jalal Community Charity Garden in Kingston so it could hire its first full-time youth garden manager. The new manager oversaw this summer’s crops grown in the garden and ensured the harvested vegetables would be delivered to Lionhearts Inc. Kingston to support its community food programs for those in need.



“We are proud to help with what started as a small community garden and is continuing to grow,” said Jason Taylor, Jerome’s son and the dealer principal at Taylor AutoMall. “The new youth garden manager is a former volunteer at the garden who has shown exceptional commitment to the work, and I felt a strong need to help with this endeavor.”

In April, Taylor AutoMall also held its You Win Charity Wins Contest. Customers who visited the dealership’s service centre that month were automatically entered into a draw to win $1,000 and have a matching donation made in their name to a charity of their choice. The customer who won the contest asked for the donation to be made to the Kids Help Phone.

“The spirit of giving is part of the culture here at Taylor AutoMall,” said Taylor, who recently purchased $100 gift cards from 60 local restaurants for his staff. “We’re proud to support the community in various ways, a community that has entrusted us with their automotive needs for almost six decades.”

Teen finalist in international competition

A Canadian teen was named a finalist in the 15th annual Toyota Dream Car Art Contest. Joseph Lee from Airdrie, Alta., was the only Canadian finalist in the contest, which invited youth from around the world to design a vehicle that helps make the world a better place.

This year’s contest drew 531,692 entries from 78 countries, and Lee’s “Surgery on the Road” entry was selected as a finalist in the age 12 to 15 category. His vehicle is designed to help doctors provide surgery while a patient is in transit to increase their chance of survival. The 2022 contest winners were announced in May and include entries by children from Fiji, Colombia, China, Thailand and the U.S.