Pacific Toyota x Cram the Van
Spreading Joy and Building Community in the Eastern Bay of Plenty
It’s not unusual for local Toyota stores to heavily support their community, but Pacific Toyota’s Cram the Van initiative takes their commitment to the Bay of Plenty to a whole new level – and it becomes more remarkable with each passing year!
Cram the Van’s past initiatives have provided just the right momentum to make giving back and supporting those in need within the local community even more meaningful, especially following a challenging year for many. Among Pacific Toyota’s many impactful community initiatives, the 2024 Cram the Van stood out as a shining example. This cherished tradition continues to bring joy and relief to countless residents in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, both during the festive season and beyond.
United for change with Cram the Van
Cram the Van has grown into an annual highlight embodying the Christmas spirit in Eastern Bay of Plenty towns such as Whakatāne, Kawerau, Ōpōtiki and more. The initiative rallies the community, in nearly 20 locations around the Eastern Bay of Plenty, to kindly donate non-perishable food, toys, pet supplies, and gifts, helping to ease the burden for families facing hardship and providing care for animals in need.
Cram the Van 2024
The 2024 Cram the Van campaign was the most successful yet, surpassing all previous years. In addition to filling the Toyota Hiace van, the community’s overwhelming generosity filled four more Toyota vehicles, and a Toyota trailer (the iconic Tray-lux) – all brimming with donations!
This year’s Cram the Van demonstrated the incredible spirit of the Eastern Bay of Plenty, with thousands of items collected. The sheer scale of support highlights the community’s belief in the power of giving back and the positive impact of coming together for a common cause.
On the 18th of December 2024 the team at 1XX arrived at our Pacific Toyota store to unpack the donations for our charities. We were extremely excited to see the Cram the Van Toyota Hiace approaching the dealership, and stunned to see what followed closely behind – an additional two Hilux utes, a CH-R, Land Cruiser, and a trailer with:
- Over 3,000 non-perishable food items
- More than 1,000 children’s gifts
- 500+ pet care items
- $800 in cash and gift cards
- Our friends at Fonterra Edgecumbe donated $5,000 cash – courtesy of their internal staff initiative ‘Doing Good Together’.
This outpouring of generosity has strengthened the community and spread hope during what can be a challenging time of year for many. Pacific Toyota’s commitment to this initiative continues to grow, and they are already working on 2025 to ensure even more people and animals in need benefit from this remarkable effort.
Stories from those involved
The impact of Cram the Van is deeply felt by both people and animals across the region. Kathleen Young, Centre Manager of OSCA (Opotiki Society for the Care of Animals), shared how the initiative has made a difference for her organisation:
“For us, having our name broadcast during Cram the Van promotion is huge. It keeps our name in the public eye and leads to people contacting us, even to find out what we do. The donations of essential food items and the publicity are invaluable. We’re so grateful to Pacific Toyota for being a principal sponsor and helping us reach further than we ever could alone. For a small charity it is awesome to be recognised, to feel part of the promotion, as well as to receive goodies at the end. It is the warm fuzzy feeling you receive from a real furry cuddle. It’s so appreciated by us here at OSCA in Opotiki”
