The 2025 Subaru Love Promise Customer and Community Commitment Award
We are honored to be nationally recognized by Subaru of America, Inc. for our dedication to our customers, our community, and the Subaru Love Promise.
The 2025 Subaru Love Promise Customer and Community Commitment Award recognizes elite Subaru retailer who provide an exceptional customer experience at every interaction with Subaru. These retailers have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to supporting passions and causes in their local communities in important areas such as environment, community, health, education, and pets.
Here at Subaru, we love our community as much as we love our vehicles and are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of all of our customers and neighbors.
What is the Subaru Love Promise?
The Subaru Love Promise® is our vision to show love and respect to all people at every interaction with Subaru. Subaru and our retailers believe every day gives us an opportunity to positively impact the world around us – by how we support each other, our customers, and our community. Together, we are committed to making the world a better place. \n\n The Love Promise is what makes Subaru More Than a Car Company® and a Subaru retailer More Than a Car Dealer®. It sets a standard that we are committed to living every day. \n\n What is the Subaru Love Promise Community Commitment? \n\n At Subaru, we believe in being a positive force in our community, not just with donations, but with actions that set an example for others to follow. We aim to make the world a better place through several key initiatives that help support and protect people, pets, and our planet:
How is Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester dedicated locally to the Love Promise?
At Van Bortel Subaru, our Love Promise to the Rochester and Finger Lakes region can be seen in our proud support of meaningful causes through our partnerships with local organizations, charities, and nonprofits. We're grateful not only to be a part of our community, but to serve it as well.
Verona Street Animal Society, Operation Freedom Ride Humane Society of Greater Rochester, Lollypop Farm Operation Freedom Ride, Humane Society of Greater Rochester
ADK, Adirondack Mountain Club , Genesee Valley Chapter, Henrietta Community Garden
Academy of Health Sciences, The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House
IAC Kids (It's About Caring for Kids), Camp Puzzle Peace, Volunteers of America Upstate New York, Coffee Connection / Project Empower, La Madonna Della Strada
Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, Wilmot Cancer Center
Love Promise Stories from Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester
Subaru and Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester believe in making a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work. We uphold that belief through our Love Promise Community Commitment. Every month, we select inspiring stories from customers and partners from around our area who strive to support our collective commitment and feature them here
Volunteers of America partnership with Subaru - Elyse J
On January 12, 2026, 264 brand-new winter coats found their way into the hands of children at the Volunteers of America Children's Center and VOA emergency family shelters thanks to Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester and Operation Warm. This essential item not only help keep children protected, warm, and dry, it has a significant impact on a child's mental and emotional well-being. Later that same week, our students experienced a snow day and below freezing temperatures. We were glad they had their new coats to keep them warm. This marks the third year of this partnership, bringing confidence, warmth, and comfort to children and supporting their well-being during the coldest months of the year. We are so grateful for this partnership. We wouldn't have the capacity to provide coats to these children without it.
Making a positive impact at Exploration Elementary Charter School for Science and Technology. - Alex M
Millions of students in high-needs schools across the country lack the supplies and learning materials necessary to be successful in the classroom. In fact, 92% of teachers in the United States have students whose families cannot afford to purchase any school supplies for their children, often requiring teachers to purchase resources with their own money. This year, through the Subaru Loves Learning partnership between Subaru and AdoptAClassroom.org, Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester continued supporting students at the Exploration Elementary Charter School for Science and Technology by adopting classrooms and donating funds to help teachers purchase school supplies and resources for their students. As the largest corporate donor to AdoptAClassroom.org, Subaru and its retailers have supported over 950,000 students nationwide.
Celebrating Subaru Loves Pets month with Operation Freedom Ride. - Alex M
October is Subaru Loves Pets month and Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester once again teamed up with our animal-loving partner, Operation Freedom Ride to help every loving animal find a loving home. As part of our Subaru Love Promise, Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester provided $4,000 in direct funding through grants administered by the ASPCA to our animal welfare partner, to help cover costs for preparing animals for adoption, veterinary expenses, and more. In addition, we celebrated Subaru Loves Pets month by hosting a meet-and-greet event to help a few furry friends awaiting adoption, giving them the chance to get out and meet some new people, get some well-deserved attention, and feel some love! After the event, our friends at OFR shared, "Thank you so much for hosting our meet and greet. We really appreciate your hospitality. It means a lot to our team and the animals. Meet-and-greet events give the animals the chance to socialize, gain exposure, and become comfortable in those settings, which greatly improves their chances for adoption in the future. We are so grateful for this partnership and your support."
Offering warmth, care, and encouragement to those fighting cancer in our community. - Alex M
For the past several years, Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester and Van Bortel Subaru of Victor have partnered with Blood Cancer United, formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), and WIlmot Cancer Institute to offer warmth, care, and encouragement, through the Subaru Loves to Care initiative. The partnership has involved delivering blankets and messages of hope to cancer patients in our community. Once again, our teams from both Van Bortel Subaru locations personally delivered these blankets and thoughtful notes to Wilmot Cancer Center. This year, we had the chance to share some kind words with patients Mike and Jim, along with Jim's wife Sharon, lovely people whose strength, determination, and positive outlook define the will to fight and true hope for survivors! We are grateful for Volunteer Coordinator, Hazel, who always makes us feel welcome with a smile. We all agreed that she looks fabulous behind the wheel of a WRX and we have the photo to prove it!
Thank you Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester for sharing the love and opening your hearts each year! - Neil B
IACKids was formed for the charitable purpose of aiding families living in the Greater Rochester New York region who are in need of financial assistance during their child's longterm inpatient / outpatient hospitalization. Since 2012, Van Bortel Subaru has been our largest donor, supporting our mission to help families facing childhood illness. We are not only grateful for the funds we have received through the Subaru Share the Love event as a hometown charity partner, we are also extremely thankful for the support and generous donations made by both Kitty Van Bortel and employees of Van Bortel Subaru at our annual Open Your Hearts Gala fundraiser. All of these contributions help allow working moms and dads to take unpaid medical leave from their jobs so that they can each be at their child's side and be present for their families during such difficult times. In 2019, IACKids named Kitty Van Bortel our Humanitarian of the Year, and in 2023, honored Kitty for more than a decade of philanthropy. It truly takes a village to help those in need and Kitty and her team have stepped up for us year after year by sharing the love and opening their hearts to our organization and the families served.
Volunteering in Tinker Nature Park to help grow a greener and healthier community. - Alex M
April is Subaru Loves the Earth month and we are proud of our commitment to supporting initiatives and the mission to make a positive impact on our local environment. This April, we partnered with Subaru of America and the Arbor Day Foundation to distribute trees in our community as part of the largest corporate tree distribution in the history of the Arbor Day Foundation. We are grateful for all of our customers who were able to reserve a tree and take part in helping to grow a greener, healthier community! In addition, the Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester Green Team volunteered in the Town of Henrietta and planted approximately 85 small saplings at Tinker Nature Park. Planting a tree is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to give back to the earth by contributing to cleaner air, providing cooling shade, helping ground stability, and adding natural beauty that will last for years to come. Volunteering at Tinker Nature Park has become an annual tradition, representing our long-term commitment to supporting green initiatives and the mission to make the community a healthier and happier place to live.
Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester Supports Volunteers of America Children Center - Rochester, NY - Eli T
Imagine having to go without a coat, shoes, or even socks. For millions of children and adults experiencing homelessness and other urgent need situations across the country, even here in Rochester, this can be a harsh reality. Helping others is the key to a strong community which is why Van Borel Subaru of Rochester believes in helping to support individuals and families in urgent need. This season, for our Subaru Loves to Help® initiative, we are partnering with Operation Warm®, a national nonprofit focused on connecting children with the resources they need to thrive. Through this partnership and other historical Subaru Loves to Help efforts, Subaru and retailers like us will have helped nearly 900,000 children and adults in urgent need so far. On 1/14/25, Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester partnered with Volunteers of America Children's Center and donated 120 coats to children in urgent need. These essential items not only help keep children protected, warm, and dry, it can have a significant impact on a child’s mental and emotional well-being.
Going Above & Beyond to Support Local Girl Scouts - Amber B
Each year, Girl Scout Cookie season provides more than delicious treats, it offers Girl Scouts the chance to learn real-world skills in entrepreneurship, goal-setting, and leadership. This year, Girl Scouts of Western New York found an incredible ally in Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester, whose partnership went far beyond expectations. Over the course of four weeks, Van Bortel Subaru generously opened their showroom to our local Girl Scout troops more than 10 times, creating a warm, welcoming space where girls could practice their sales pitches, build confidence, and connect with the community. Kitty, Ruth, and the entire staff embodied the Subaru Love Promise by treating our troops like family, cheering them on, helping set up booths, and even placing signage along the roadside to draw in customers. But what truly made the experience unforgettable was the sense of belonging Van Bortel Subaru created. They didn’t just host our girls, they celebrated them. In an extraordinary act of kindness, Kitty Van Bortel surprised both customers and Girl Scouts by purchasing cookies for every visitor, turning an ordinary sale into a moment of joy and gratitude. Thanks to Van Bortel Subaru, our Girl Scouts didn’t just sell cookies, they learned the power of community, generosity, and what it means to be supported by people who believe in their potential. This is the Girl Scout difference: helping girls become leaders in a world where kindness and collaboration make all the difference. We are so grateful for this partnership and can’t wait to continue building a future for the next generation of women entrepreneurs together.
Uplifting Philanthropy, an Outstanding Philanthropist, and The Subaru Love Promise. - Meghan C
The AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) is a global organization that uplifts philanthropy. We define “philanthropy” as promoting the welfare of others by donating time, money, experience, skills, or talents to help create a better world. You don't have to be wealthy. You just have to want to give, and that can be your time, your talent, or your treasure. The AFP Genesee Valley Chapter is a volunteer-based organization representing more than 200 fundraising professionals in the Greater Rochester region. Our mission is to advocate for philanthropy and to promote ethical and successful non-profit development by addressing the needs of diverse fundraising professionals in our region. Every year, AFP honors those that are engaged in philanthropy. This year, Kitty Van Bortel was selected as the recipient of our Outstanding Philanthropist Award. This award honors an individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support or community service, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility, and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles. Kitty's nomination this year was a very exciting for us at AFP and the entire panel that reviewed all of the nominations, because she was nominated by a huge collective of community organizations. The fact that she's had that type of impact on so many organizations is a real gift to the greater Rochester community. Congratulations Kitty! On behalf of everyone at AFPGV, thank you for your exceptional commitment to the community!
We are thankful for the support from Subaru, Kitty, and Staff at Van Bortel Subaru. - Christina T
The Breast Cancer Coalition is thankful for once again being selected as a hometown charity to receive funds from the annual “Subaru Share the Love Event.” Kitty Van Bortel’s leadership and extraordinary philanthropy in the Rochester community, specifically her investment - both personally and through fundraising efforts – in the Coalition is a partnership we truly value. We are not only thankful for the support that we receive from the Subaru Share the Love Event, we are also thankful for the additional support we receive directly from Van Bortel employees. The Breast Cancer Coalition hosts fundraising events every year to raise awareness, support, and funding. Employees have not only volunteered at our events throughout the year, they have also made very generous donations! In fact, employees from Van Bortel Subaru have donated thousands of dollars to support our mission and help ensure that our programs remain free and accessible to all who need them. We truly appreciate the ongoing partnership you continue to show the Coalition. Van Bortel Subaru’s participation in these events truly makes a significant impact in the lives of so many here in our community. Thank you for your commitment to the Coalition and the Subaru Love Promise.
