General Motors volunteers participated in teamGM Cares Week, an annual week-long event that took place the week of September 12th through September 16th. Uniting GM employees with community residents, the event granted GM employees the opportunity to make a difference in Southwest Detroit. Focusing on community sustainability, environment, and STEM activities, teamGM Cares Week focused on creating productive community spaces with the Junction Street Clean Neighborhood Project.
The Junction Street Clean Neighborhood Project, a longstanding community initiative, connects lead non-profit partner Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, lead corporate partner The Ideal Group, Detroit Cristo Rey High School and other local businesses to transform blighted places into community spaces.
teamGM Cares Week, which annually consists of many projects in metro Detroit and other communities across the U.S., allows GM employees to spend their work days giving back to the communities where they live and work.
“Working on Junction Street is always special because it is a true community effort,” said Russ Brewster from GM, “The local businesses, block committees, schools and residents all participate. The work we did in 2014 looks better today than when we did it. Also the community continues to work the other 51 weeks during the year when General Motors isn’t there.”
Among their numerous tasks throughout the week, GM volunteers assisted Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision in creating 3 rain gardens to manage stormwater, cleared 25 sites, and renovated 7 productive community spaces. Volunteers also developed two STEM Classrooms at Holy Redeemer Elementary School and refurbished the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation’s First Robotics Engineering Center, spurring youth to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills.
This event exceeded 3,900 volunteer hours, uniting GM employee volunteers, community organizations, and neighborhood residents in revealing the pride and resiliency of the Southwest Detroit community.
A special thank you the Detroit Police Department Bike Patrols, community partners, business partners and to all of our food vendors, Franks Hot Dogs, El Nacimiento, El Rancho, and Taco Veloz.