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?
Subaru and our retailers believe in making the world a better place and the Subaru Love Promise is our vision of respecting all people. This is our commitment to show love and respect to our customers and to work to make a positive impact in the world.
How is Van Bortel Subaru of Victor 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.
Lollypop Farm , Humane Society of Greater Rochester, Operation Freedom Ride
Victor Village Tree Board, ADK, Adirondack Mountain Club , Genesee Valley Chapter
The Norman Howard School, The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House
IACKids: It's About Caring for Kids, House of Mercy, Coffee Connection / Project Empower
Wilmot Cancer Center, Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester
Love Promise Stories from Van Bortel Subaru of Victor
Subaru and Van Bortel Subaru of Victor 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
Van Bortel Subaru of Victor 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 Victor 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 Victor 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.
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 grateful for the support from Subaru, Kitty, and Staff at Van Bortel Subaru! - Christina T
The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester 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.
Helping to advance equity in education, one classroom at a time. - Alex A
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 Victor continued supporting students at the Academy of Health Sciences by adopting classrooms and donating funds to help teachers purchase resources for their students. We hear it everyday, a donation from Subaru retailers makes a difference in helping the students in your community prepare for their future. The Academy of Health Sciences shared their gratitude firsthand for the support of everyone at Van Bortel Subaru of Victor: “I want to personally thank you for your incredibly generous donation to my classroom at the Academy of Health Sciences. Your contribution will make a significant difference not only for me as a teacher but also for my students as we continue our journey into the world of health sciences, specifically through the lens of mathematics. With your support, I’ll be able to provide my students with more hands-on learning experiences that will help them better understand this important field and help develop a love of learning through discovery. Your generosity truly impacts their educational experience and will help inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals. Thank you again for believing in our mission and for helping to make a real difference in our classroom.” - Ashley A. “Thank you so much for your generous donation! Your support will be used to provide essential supplies for our annual Health Science Fair at the Academy of Health Sciences. This event allows our students to showcase their knowledge and skills in health science, giving them hands-on experience that is vital for their future careers. The Academy of Health Sciences is dedicated to preparing students for success in the healthcare field, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to make meaningful contributions to society. We are incredibly grateful for your investment in this important educational opportunity. Thanks to your generosity, our students will have the tools they need to excel and inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals.” - Paulina I. “Thank you for your generous donation! With your help, students will be able to enrich their literacy learning and deepen their love of reading! These funds will be used to purchase important literacy manipulatives, and relatable texts for middle schoolers that read at a primary level. With this donation we can have more celebrations for students growth and success in ELA!” - Alicja B. “This donation impacted my students by having access to supplies to build human body systems, windmills and to explore the field of health sciences by having our own student stethoscope. I would not have been able to provide that for our students without the support and help of Subaru. You are making a difference in my teaching, curriculum, student learning and their ability to expand on learning with hands on projects. Thank you so much!!!!” - Jessica A. “Your repeated donations to the Academy of Health Sciences in the last four years have helped build our music program from the ground up. I have been the music teacher in that time, so it has been my unique pleasure to see all of the opportunities you have given to our students; the majority of our funding has come from your support. At one point I thought I would have to deprive my students of something in their curriculum while the school was in transition for a new location. Thanks to the funding from Subaru, we were able to purchase a more portable solution, keep the curriculum, and we are still able to replace and maintain our instruments years later. On behalf of approximately 400 students, thank you again!” - Steve L. On behalf of everyone at AdoptAClassroom.org and the Academy of Health Sciences, thank you. We can’t do it without your help.
Van Bortel Subaru shows cancer patients that they care. - Alex M
For the past several years, Van Bortel Subaru of Victor and Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester have partnered with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Wilmot Cancer Institute through the Subaru Loves to Care initiative. The partnership has involved delivery of blankets and messages of HOPE to cancer patients. Over the summer, employees from Van Bortel Subaru delivered these items for cancer patients in treatment and we are forever grateful for this partnership.
Showing our love for the earth and pets by donating trees and planting them in the new dog park. - Alex M
April is Subaru Loves the Earth month. Van Bortel Subaru of Victor celebrated Earth Day and Arbor Day with the Victor Village Tree Board and others in the community by donating and planting trees at the amazing new dog park in Harlan Fisher Park! The planting crew included Van Bortel Subaru employees, members of the Victor Central Schools Key Club, Victor Hiking Trails, the Boy Scouts, and several village residents. Kitty and the Van Bortel Subaru of Victor team were also recognized for our long-term commitment to supporting initiatives and the mission to make the community a healthier and happier place to live. It’s truly a “Pawesome” improvement to our parks and recreation system! We are grateful for everyone who developed and supported this amazing project, including all those who came out and planted trees - trees that not only make a positive impact today, but will also make a positive impact in the future! These trees will be enjoyed by generations to come. A few months later, we joined our friends at the Town of Victor, Village of Victor, Victor Parks & Recreation, and Victor Village Tree Board to celebrate the opening of New Dog Park.
More than a coat. Providing warmth and confidence to children in need. - Alex M
It was a heartwarming day for the teams at Van Bortel Subaru of Victor and Van Bortel Subaru of Rochester. We visited our friends at Volunteers of America Children’s Center in Rochester and gifted over 200 brand-new coats to help provide comfort, hope, and confidence to children in need. We were touched by the excitement, genuine happiness, and gratitude expressed by all the children. Through the Subaru Loves to Help initiative, Van Bortel Subaru is proud to join Subaru of America, Inc. and Operation Warm in a collaborative effort to support children and families facing homelessness or urgent needs situations. Here in Rochester, we are grateful to partner with Volunteers of America Upstate New York to be a positive force in the community. Thank you to everyone at Volunteers of America for all you do for the children and for all you do to empower people in our community to reach their full potential. Visit www.voaupny.org to learn more and support their mission.
Camp Puzzle Peace-Community Connections - Jen H
Thank you to Van Bortel Subaru of Victor for supporting our summer program. This year we were able to work with 30 individuals between the ages of 6-21 that have autism and related disabilities to build their social skills. Together with your help we were able to provide meaningful social skills instruction and practice those skills in a safe and supportive environment. Every Friday we head out into the community to try out our social skills! We love our FUN FRIDAYS!!! Thank you again for making this program such a success.
Thank you for your continued support of the Victor Turkey Trot! - Sheila C
A heartfelt thank you to the Van Bortel Subaru dealerships in Victor and Rochester for their continued support of the Victor Turkey Trot. When I asked Van Bortel Subaru if we could count on them again for their support this year, they not only said “of course,” they said they would like to give twice as much as they have in previous years! This year we had a record-breaking 1,500 Trotters. Given the support of generous sponsors like Van Bortel Subaru, our all-volunteer team was able to donate $30,000 to two grateful local charities, the Victor-Farmington Food Cupboard and the Serenity (Hospice) House. What started out as a family event 6 years ago has transformed to a community event like no other. On behalf of this year’s charities, we would like to extend a giant THANK YOU to Van Bortel Subaru!!!
Eco-Friendly Retailer Workshop - Alex M
At Van Bortel Subaru, we believe that we can do more to love the earth by educating our employees on what it means to be a Certified Subaru Eco-Friendly Retailer and ways that we can make a positive impact on the environment. Our Green Teams in at both locations put together our first Subaru Eco-Friendly Workshop for employees and it was a success! We had fun and even tested our knowledge on the five key areas of the program, including, Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, Recycling, Waste Management, and Community Involvement. This initiative was developed by our Green Team as a way to not only raise awareness of our eco-friendly certification and the requirements of the program, but to also teach our employees about the importance of doing our part to help take care of our planet, now, and in the future. We are honored that Van Bortel Subaru was featured in the Subaru Green Retailer Monthly Newsletter for this initiative. We are proud to have been recognized as a positive and informative force - not only in our place of business, but also in the community. While loving the earth is part of who we are as a Subaru Retailer, encouraging others to do the same will only help make a bigger impact. Congratulations to Ruth and the Green Teams for making this happen and a special shout-out to everyone who is helping to make a difference through eco-friendly choices and actions, here, at home, and wherever you roam.
