Toyota Partners with Brooklyn Arts Council for Renegade Craft Fair

Toyota celebrates the launch of second annual #ToyotaGiving social media fundraising campaign, a program in which Toyota harnesses the power of the public via social media to raise funds for non-profits. The program is part of Toyota's sponsorship of seven yoga, craft and street festivals over the next six months to raise a total of $45,000 for non-profit organizations.

On June 22nd and 23rd the Toyota Retreat will be present at the Renegade Craft Fair (www.renegadecraft.com/brooklyn) in Brooklyn, NY., partnering with the Brooklyn Arts Council (www.brooklynartscouncil.org) to encourage attendees to "share their passion" via Twitter and Instagram tagged with #ToyotaGiving to raise funds for the organization. Individuals can pose for a photo, choosing from a list of 100 stylized signs at the Toyota Retreat to declare what they are most passionate about. Every photo posted to Twitter or Instagram using #ToyotaGiving triggers a $3 donation from Toyota, up to a total of $5,000. In addition to the opportunity to raise funds for Brooklyn Arts Council via #ToyotaGiving, guests of the Toyota Retreat at Renegade also will enjoy a D.I.Y. Inspiration Lounge, complimentary Spa Ritual Nail Art, GIF Photo Booth, silk screen tote bags, and a Prius C phone charging station.

The goal of the #ToyotaGiving initiative is more than raising funds, it's about encouraging people to share what they are most passionate about so that they may inspire passion in others. Brooklyn Arts Council is Brooklyn-based non-profit arts organization that gives grants, presents free and affordable arts events, trains artists and arts professionals, incubates new projects and promotes artists and cultural groups across the borough. With the help of the community, Brooklyn Arts Council is hoping to generate enough participation to raise the total $5,000 through the #ToyotaGiving campaign. These funds will go toward a variety of Brooklyn Arts Council programs and initiatives such as Arts in Education, which engages students, teachers, parents and community members in educational arts experiences including digital, literary, performing and visual arts; Scene: Brooklyn, independent film and media arts showcases the diverse film talent based in Brooklyn and brings Brooklyn filmmakers together with new audiences; and Folk Arts, which works with Brooklyn's traditional artists and their immigrant communities to preserve and present arts expressive of Brooklyn's heritage including folk song, storytelling, social dance, food ways, material culture and more.

The #ToyotaGiving program continues through December 2013 in conjunction with four other festivals supporting additional non-profits across the country. In addition to Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, NY., #ToyotaGiving will activate around Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco, CA., Wanderlust Yoga and Music Festival in Bondville, VT., Cooperville, CO. and Lake Tahoe, CA., Pecan Street Festival in Austin, TX., and One of A Kind in Chicago, Il.

Renegade Craft Fair- June 22 - 23; 11AM - 7PM - East River State Park (N. 8th St. and Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY.) http://www.renegadecraft.com/brooklyn.

To learn more, visit www.ToyotaGiving.com.