SILVERTON, PRETORIA – 18 September 2008 – Thousands of Ford Motor Company employees, from six different continents around the globe joined arms in September for the third annual Ford Global Week of Caring. From 6-14 September 8 000 Ford employees and volunteers from various countries including South Africa ventured into their communities to renovate shelters, feed the hungry and offer their support.
The programme got underway on 6 September at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, with both the Silverton Plant in Pretoria and the Struandale Plant in Port Elizabeth participating. This is the third annual installment of this worldwide event, which is aimed at building Ford employee participation, involvement and support of the communities in which they live and work.
This year’s week long campaign started off with the hand-over of FMCSA’s annual R15 000 contribution to the Medicos Special School based in Soshanguve, a school for children with mental disabilities. In Port Elizabeth funds were raised for the Cheshire Home in Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth an institution that supports disabled people in the Eastern Cape.
While the donations provided a much needed boost for the organisations it was the volunteer work undertaken by the Ford employees that really had an impact on the communities.
Maintenance work was carried out at the SOS Children’s Village in Mamelodi; the Le Amogetswe Safe Home in Atteridgeville; the L’Phumilanga AIDS Haven in Port Elizabeth; the Seaview Squatter Camp in Port Elizabeth and the Little Strivers Crèche in Silverton.
In addition to all the building, painting, sanding and repair work undertaken by the Ford staff, employees also arranged a party and a day-trip to a game farm for the children at the Luyuvo School for the Disabled. Funds raised by the Ford Engine Plant management and shop floor staff members were used to purchase groceries for 14 families that have no income through Each One Reach One. Towels for hygiene education and off-cut carpets were provided to the Little Strivers Crèche.
“Our Global Week of Caring is a fantastic Ford initiative,” says FMCSA, President & CEO: Hal Feder, “We’re very proud of all the FMCSA staff that participated in the event and made a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. While the Ford Global Week of Caring allows the staff to get involved with the community for a week, Ford’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives are ongoing throughout the year.
Community building is the theme of Ford’s Global Week of Caring initiative. “We rely heavily on the community in both our Silverton and Struandale plants,” adds Feder. “We therefore have a vested interest in improving the circumstances of our community members. Through building better communities we are able to build better cars.”
