- Returning for 2023, Defender Service Awards honors U.S., D.C., Puerto Rico and Canadian organizations with a customized Defender 130 vehicle, along with monetary prizes to further empower their efforts
- Six Award Categories include: Veteran’s & Civil Servant Outreach; Community Services; Search, Rescue & Emergency Support Services; Outdoor Accessibility & Education; Animal, Wildlife & Marine Mammal Welfare; and Defender Service Honorees, 2021 & 2022 Finalists
- Beginning June 15, 2023, and ending July 21, 2023, Defender Service Awards will accept video nominations from worthy organizations aligning with one of the six categories
- To enter, organizations must submit a video and be U.S. 501(c)(3)1 / Canadian registered charity whose efforts fall within one of the six categories outlined in the program
- CHASE, the presenting sponsor, will donate $5,000 to each of the 30 category finalists. Category sponsors, including Hearts and Science, PELICAN, OUTSIDE Interactive inc., ei3 and ANIMAL PLANET will donate $25,000 to their respective category winners
- New for 2023 Defender Service Awards, Warner Bros. Discovery joins as a Premier Sponsor, donating $2,500 to each of the 30 category finalists
- For information and rules2 on the Defender Service Awards presented by CHASE please visit www.landroverusa.com / www.landrover.ca
MAHWAH, N.J. – 15 June, 2023 – DEFENDER vehicles are proudly recognized across the globe for their legacy of supporting humanitarian-based charities. Continuing this legacy, Defender today announced the return of the third annual ‘Defender Service Awards’ presented by CHASE. The Defender Service Awards recognize U.S., D.C., Puerto Rican non-profits, and Canadian charitable organizations that are making a positive impact on their local communities.
Organizations are encouraged to submit videos on how a new Defender 130 vehicle would support their respective mission across six contest categories: Veteran’s & Civil Servant Outreach Award Presented by Hearts & Science; Community Services Award Presented by ei3; Search, Rescue & Emergency Support Services Award Presented by PELICAN; Outdoor Accessibility & Education Awards Presented by OUTSIDE Interactive Inc.; Animal, Wildlife & Marine Mammal Welfare Award Presented by ANIMAL PLANET. Recognizing the incredible work of past Defender Service Awards finalists, a new category, The Defender Service Honorees, 2021 & 2022 Finalists, has been added to give these worthy organizations a second chance to win a custom Defender 130.
Corporate partners have joined this initiative to provide further support for the respective organizations across the different categories. CHASE, as presenting sponsor, will donate $5,000 to each of the five finalists per category, for a total of $150,000 across 30 finalists. As a Premier Sponsor, Warner Bros. Discovery will contribute $75,000, awarding $2,500 to each of the 30 category finalists. Category sponsors include OUTSIDE Interactive Inc., ei3, PELICAN, Hearts & Sciences and ANIMAL PLANET. Each category sponsor will also donate $25,000 to its respective category winner.
Each of the winning organizations across the categories will be empowered to further their mission with the receipt of a fully customized Defender 130 vehicle. Featuring three rows of seating for up to eight people, along with 88.9 cubic feet (2,516 litres) of load capacity, the Defender 130 vehicle is fully capable of assisting these organizations with their mission of service. The winners will collaborate with the Defender team to fully outfit their vehicle with Defender accessories required for their organization’s needs, along with a custom exterior vehicle wrap.
The ‘Defender Service Awards’ are a beloved initiative that we are proud to bring back for a third year. Celebrating the organizations that make a difference in our communities speaks to the core of the Defender brand that it is most powerful when it’s on a mission to help others.
Joe Eberhardt
President and CEO, Jaguar Land Rover North America
The Defender Service Awards showcase the power of community organizations and the people who dedicate their time and energy to making the world better. We are proud to expand our support this year and excited to learn more about the organizations that apply.
Peter Muriungi
CEO, CHASE Auto
Entrants can nominate organizations or organizations can nominate themselves by filling out the entry form and submitting an up to three-minute video that details the organization’s mission, how it addresses a need in their community and how a Defender 130 vehicle will help to further their efforts. Submissions are open from June 15, 2023, through July 21, 2023, followed by a judging period by a panel of qualified judges. The finalists’ videos will be posted on Land RoverUSA.com and www.landrover.ca for public voting beginning in September, and winners will be announced in the fall 2023.
Previous winners of last year’s ‘Defender Service Awards’ include Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais - Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue for the Pelican Search and Rescue Award; Patriot Service Dogs for the dentsu x Veterans Outreach Award; Appalachian Bear Rescue for the KONG Animal Welfare Award; Mercy Chefs for the ei3 Community Services Award; and Green Lake Association for the OUTSIDE Interactive, Inc. Environmental and Conservation Award. Each winning organization was awarded with a Defender 130 vehicle to further their efforts within their respective communities. A total of $300,000 was distributed across category finalists and winning organizations.
The Defender family of models, 90, 110, 130 continue to expand and evolve to suit the many uses by their owners. New for 2024, the Defender 130 Outbound has been curated for those who enjoy the outdoor adventure lifestyle, with seating for 5, enhanced cargo area and off-road oriented accessories. A new 130 V8 model provides a premium engine with additional power and torque while still offering 8 seats across three rows. The Defender County Pack is now offered for the Defender 110 and brings paint, accessory and decal variations and a new Aluminum wheel selection, the combination of which taps the rich heritage and style of Defender vehicles.
For information on the ‘Defender Service Awards’ presented by CHASE, please visit LandRoverUSA.com or www.landrover.ca.