KAHULUI, Maui — With excess inventory and a 30 percent drop in sales, a Maui auto dealer decided to make his year-end charitable contributions in the form of new cars instead of cash.

Maui Toyota owner and CEO Damien Farias yesterday handed over the keys to five new 2008 Sienna vans the company donated to Maui nonprofit groups also struggling with tighter finances. They are Easter Seals Hawaii, the Native Hawaiian healthcare organization Hui No Ke Ola Pono, St. Anthony High School, Hale Makua Health Services and the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center senior daycare center.

Farias is personally delivering a sixth van today to Lunalilo Home on O'ahu via Hawaii Superferry.

He said he normally cuts checks to charities at the end of each year but found that was going to be difficult in 2008 because of the impact of the economic recession. Slow sales also meant he had too many cars on his Kahului lot.

The family-run Toyota dealership normally averages five Sienna van sales per month, but last year averaged only two per month, he said. The vehicles cost the dealer $22,800 each.

"All of a sudden, I'm sitting here with too many vans and it would take me two years to sell them based on the current rate," Farias said. "I can't keep them around that long, so I decided to bite the bullet and give them away."

Easter Seals Hawaii will use its new van to replace a broken-down vehicle that is "in dire straits" and in need of costly repairs, said assistant program manager Melissa King-Hubert before driving off in one of the Siennas. The agency provides services to children and adults with disabilities and other special needs.

King-Hubert said the van will be used to transport clients to recreational activities, stores, jobs and other locations.

The donation "is very important to us, especially in this time of budget reductions. This will help us continue to provide community-based services so our clients can get out and access the community rather than being at home," she said.

Saundra Gaskey of Hale Makua Health Services called the vehicle donation "truly a blessing." The agency operates two long-term-care homes in Kahului and Wailuku and other programs.

"With the challenges of managed care and the recession, we've had to cut back on capital expenditures," she said.

Farias, a former Honolulu police officer, has a long history of community involvement and has been active in auto dealer associations on the local, state and national level. He bought the Maui Toyota dealership in 1975.