In my relatively short time with Chrysler Group, community commitment and volunteerism is a theme that has often come up. United Way commitment. Helping clean up Belle Isle near Detroit. Making a Dodge Grand CAN-avan. Being part of Detroit Partnership Day. Doing a makeover in Kokomo.
While the ultimate goal for any company is to make a profit, it seems that a close second for Chrysler is to make its world a better place.
Yesterday, the company revved up its community commitment by launching Chrysler Motor Citizens, the new name for its well-established volunteer program. Motor Citizens gives the company’s 18,000 salaried employees in the U.S., Canada and Mexico up to 18 hours of paid time off a year to volunteer for nonprofit organizations of their choosing, as well as company-sponsored initiatives.
Motor Citizens was launched Tuesday as more than 350 employees gave of their time in hunger relief efforts at our offices in the three countries:
- Auburn Hills, Mich.: At Chrysler Group headquarters, 260 employees assembled, bagged and boxed 70,000 meal packages for Stop Hunger Now. The meals will be sent to Brazil to support the organization’s student feeding programs and crisis relief efforts. (Image above.)
- Windsor, Ont.: More than 60 employees helped Downtown Mission of Windsor’s foodbank program. In addition, the team brought a Dodge Grand Caravan loaded with employee-donated food items. They also brought a $7,500 donation, which will be split among Downtown Mission of Windsor, the Salvation Army and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul for their foodbank programs.
- Mexico City: About 60 employees helped the Solo por Ayudar Foundation package and deliver 10,500 meals. That’s about seven tons of food. The meals will be distributed in a community near Chrysler de Mexico’s Toluca Complex. (Image right)
While yesterday was great, what’s most exciting to me is how the program is expanding to literally enable organizations in our communities to get involved, and assist our network of dealers in their community commitments:
Motor Citizens Grant Program: Supported by The Chrysler Foundation, the grant program provides eligible nonprofits in the U.S. a $500 (USD) Motor Citizens grant when a team of 10 or more employees contribute a total of 30 hours of service to a project.
Dealer Volunteer Toolkit: It’s an online toolkit for dealers to plan, manage and track their volunteer activities within their communities. The toolkit is a way for the company to support dealers, who have a tradition of community involvement, ranging from supporting local athletic programs and scouting to providing support following natural disasters.
So, while Chrysler will continue to make cars and, hopefully, money, we’ll also be making something more valuable: A better place.
For more images, see http://bit.ly/MotorCitizens-Flickr.
