Libertyville car dealers unite for food pantry

They have offered village-supplied gift cards for local businesses and joined in a clearance sale, and now Libertyville car dealers have united to help a local food pantry.

Fierce competitors for decades, Libertyville's dealers last spring determined it would be in everyone's interest to work together.

Besides promoting the idea that buying a car locally helps village coffers by providing sales tax revenue, the 13 dealerships have created a common brand and are meeting monthly in an unprecedented alliance.

Until Thanksgiving, nearly all the dealers are giving discounts on service averaging about $10 for customers who bring in food items to donate.

"Everybody needs a little help right now," said Glenn Bockwinkel, general manager of Acura of Libertyville and head of dealers' association.

The effort is an extension of an annual food drive by Liberty Auto City and Liberty Auto Plaza.

"They really want to show the community that they are more the just selling things to them," said Stephen Alstead of Axiom Marketing Inc., who has been working with the dealers.

Food collected will be given to the Libertyville Township food pantry, which this year is benefiting from an apparent spontaneous outpouring of support from several sources. One person recently donated 20, $20 gift cards to the Jewel Food Store, for example.

"It's almost like people sense the need and are responding," said Kathleen O'Connor, township supervisor.

Usually by this time of year, food supplies are dwindling, she added.

"It's incredible to watch. Because the community has been so generous, we actually have food here."

The need this year had been steadily increasing before leveling in September. In October, the pantry, which is open once a week, served 251 households representing 729 individuals, according to O'Connor.

She predicted the need would be up considerably this month compared to last year, and the pantry is seeing more patrons who traditionally would not have needed this type of assistance.

Customers have been returning to auto dealerships the past three months, and they are projecting increased sales for next year.

"There are some people coming back into the market," Bockwinkel said.

While the federal Cash for Clunkers program was successful, it cleared the shelves of inventory and some dealers can't get certain models customers want, he added.