McCarthy Toyota of Sedalia
Kansas City area dealer makes good on his promise “to give back”
March/April 2016
From the Heart
Some of the more than 500 participants in the 2015 Lub Dub Walk/Run celebrate their participation in the event that helps support the Camye Callis Gaspard Memorial Heart Fund. McCarthy Toyota of Sedalia sponsored the finish line, one of the dealership’s many community outreach efforts.
Some of the more than 500 participants in the 2015 Lub Dub Walk/Run celebrate their participation in the event that helps support the Camye Callis Gaspard Memorial Heart Fund. McCarthy Toyota of Sedalia sponsored the finish line, one of the dealership’s many community outreach efforts.
John McCarthy acknowledges that he’s come a long way from humble beginnings. He grew up in a working class Irish-American neighborhood in Cleveland where his father served on the police force. But that’s not to say he’s left his past behind.
“I remember the sacrifices my parents made so that I’d have a better life,” says McCarthy, now owner of McCarthy Toyota in Sedalia, Mo., as well as eight other dealerships. “And the church taught me that it’s in the giving that you receive. So I always told myself that if I were ever in a position to give back, that’s what I would do.”
McCarthy is making good on that promise, and then some. The list of charitable organizations throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area that benefit from his generosity goes on and on. A partial roster includes the Bothwell Regional Medical Center, Smith-Cotton High School, Sacred Heart Catholic School, State Fair Community College, Missouri State Fair, Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri and Whiteman Air Force Base.
Some of these outreach efforts are deeply personal. Take, for instance, McCarthy’s support of Hope Lodge in Kansas City. The American Cancer Society facility offers free housing to cancer patients who must travel to the city for treatment—including McCarthy’s eldest son who battled Hodgkin’s disease.
Others are about encouraging the next generation. A prime example: $1,000 college scholarships made available to 22 standout high school student athletes who attend any high school, public or private, throughout Kansas City. Here’s another: the dealer group supports two scholarship programs for Sedalia’s two high schools, making 12 awards based on financial need totaling $15,000. McCarthy contributes half of the money towards the Sedalia awards and then leverages the Toyota Dealer Match program to double the impact.
“I cannot tell you how appreciative I am that Toyota does this,” says McCarthy. “Hopefully their example will inspire other manufacturers to follow. And hopefully every dealer will take advantage of it. I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t.”
“Giving back to the community is just who we are and what we do,” he adds. “And it’s not just about me. Recently, many of our 600 employees gave up their Saturday to participate in a breast cancer awareness walk and raise money. I’m surrounded by people who care. A lot.”
“I remember the sacrifices my parents made so that I’d have a better life,” says McCarthy, now owner of McCarthy Toyota in Sedalia, Mo., as well as eight other dealerships. “And the church taught me that it’s in the giving that you receive. So I always told myself that if I were ever in a position to give back, that’s what I would do.”
McCarthy is making good on that promise, and then some. The list of charitable organizations throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area that benefit from his generosity goes on and on. A partial roster includes the Bothwell Regional Medical Center, Smith-Cotton High School, Sacred Heart Catholic School, State Fair Community College, Missouri State Fair, Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri and Whiteman Air Force Base.
Some of these outreach efforts are deeply personal. Take, for instance, McCarthy’s support of Hope Lodge in Kansas City. The American Cancer Society facility offers free housing to cancer patients who must travel to the city for treatment—including McCarthy’s eldest son who battled Hodgkin’s disease.
Others are about encouraging the next generation. A prime example: $1,000 college scholarships made available to 22 standout high school student athletes who attend any high school, public or private, throughout Kansas City. Here’s another: the dealer group supports two scholarship programs for Sedalia’s two high schools, making 12 awards based on financial need totaling $15,000. McCarthy contributes half of the money towards the Sedalia awards and then leverages the Toyota Dealer Match program to double the impact.
“I cannot tell you how appreciative I am that Toyota does this,” says McCarthy. “Hopefully their example will inspire other manufacturers to follow. And hopefully every dealer will take advantage of it. I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t.”
“Giving back to the community is just who we are and what we do,” he adds. “And it’s not just about me. Recently, many of our 600 employees gave up their Saturday to participate in a breast cancer awareness walk and raise money. I’m surrounded by people who care. A lot.”
