AJC Staff Use Bonuses to Buy Hybrid Cars

American Jewish Committee employees in Chicago and Los Angeles have become the first eligible staff to take advantage of the non-profit organization's Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Bonus Program, which provides cash incentives to purchase new hybrid cars.

The program is believed to be the first offer of its kind to employees of any non-profit organization in the United States.

"If it wasn't for AJC's green bonus program, I doubt I would have bought a hybrid car," says Todd Winer, director of public relations for AJC's Chicago Chapter. "The bonus brought the car in line with what I was willing to spend."

Winer's 2007 Toyota Prius, which he will pick up later this week, will replace a 1994 Nissan Sentra.

Saundra Mandel, acting director of AJC's Los Angeles Chapter, who drives more than 300 miles a week, purchased a Totyta Prius two weeks ago, and already says she is thrilled that the car gets twice as much mileage as her previous car. "I usually get a new car every 10 years, but, with AJC's incentive program, I turned in my seven-year-old Mercedes for the more fuel-efficient Prius," Mandel said.

AJC recently offered its employees across the U.S. an incentive to purchase or lease fuel-efficient, environmentally- friendly vehicles. Employees who qualify will be entitled to receive bonus payments of $2,500 or $1,500, depending on the vehicle model.

"Our car-buying incentive is integral to AJC's long-term commitment to developing a serious energy policy in the U.S.," says AJC Executive Director David Harris. "By encouraging our employees to first look at energy-efficient models such as hybrids, we hope other organizations will join us in recognizing that sound choices are available that can contribute to reducing America's dependence on foreign imported oil."

Qualifying cars for the program include the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight, Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Mazda 3, Saturn Ion, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Focus Compact Car and Ford Focus Wagon.