“I think small decisions have large consequences,” Greg Rose, director of environmental health and safety at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, said. “It’s (Beniteau Community Park) important to this community. I think keeping it cleaned up and available to the children is a big deal.”
So, what does restoring a small community park on Detroit’s eastside have to do with building the next-generation Jeep® Grand Cherokee?
FCA also shares the responsibility of helping to improve the quality of life for residents living around the new auto assembly plant located adjacent to the park. At full production, the new assembly plant will have the lowest emissions of any auto assembly plant in the United States and will bring almost 5,000 new jobs to the area.
While Rose and his team work to make that large vision a reality, they are also tackling key responsibilities in the community as part of the company’s Motor Citizens volunteer program. Rose and nearly 40 FCA Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) managers removed 30 cubic yards (five dump trucks) of debris and brush from the park, then spread more than 24,000 pounds of mulch underneath the playscape, swings and benches.
“This is what we do and this is something we enjoy doing,” Rose said.
The park cleanup is just one of several efforts that FCA is undertaking near the new plant. FCA is also funding a home repair grant program through the City of Detroit to help homeowners near the plant invest in and improve their homes. Starting in mid-August, 47 residents along Beniteau Street will have an opportunity to apply for home improvement grants of up to $15,000. Subsequently, the grants will be made available to more eastside residents.
Overall, FCA and the City of Detroit have committed $35.2 million in community benefits to support neighborhood improvements, housing, workforce development, education and training programs, and environmental initiatives.
About FCA Community Stories:
FCA Community explores the efforts of FCA US employees who see a need beyond the walls of their work sites and devote energy outside their daily job to be a source of comfort and a force for change.
