GE Rallies 600 Volunteers across Ten Locations in Detroit

More than 600 local General Electric (NYSE:GE) employees are volunteering their time today to make a difference in the community during the 4th Annual GE Community Day across the Detroit area.

This year, GE is partnering with the Merritt Street Clean Neighborhood project, a longstanding community outreach effort led by The Ideal Group and the Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision (SDEV), to provide volunteers to garden, paint, remove graffiti, make signage and clean alleys across Southwest Detroit’s neighborhoods.

"I applaud GE and all the volunteers for their generosity and caring spirit," said Frank Venegas, Chairman and CEO of The Ideal Group. “Their belief in our efforts is a testament to the outreach work needed throughout this community, as well as the pride and resilience of Southwest Detroit.”

This Southwest Detroit neighborhood model consists of a residential neighborhood east of Junction Street and north of Toledo and includes two community gardens: Scarcyny Park, a perennial garden and family park, and the Cadillac Urban Gardens, a volunteer-run vegetable garden.

In addition to volunteering at the Merritt Street Clean Neighborhood project, GE volunteers will also:

• Clean-up the shoreline at the Belle Isle Conservancy;
• Package food at Forgotten Harvest and package expectant mother supplies at the 7th annual Western Wayne Family Health Center’s community baby shower;
• Garden, lay mulch, paint and build playground equipment at First Step and Rawsonville Elementary School;
• Board abandoned homes, paint and clean-up the community near Focus Hope;
• Plant flowers, build vegetable boxes and build a retaining wall at The Children’s Center of Detroit;
• Clear brush, paint and perform light handy work at the Historic Fort Wayne; and
• Help run the annual golf outing fundraiser for our Developing Health partner the Community Health and Social Services Center (CHASS)

Since opening its Advanced Manufacturing and Software Technology Center (AMSTC) in Van Buren Township in 2009, GE has hired nearly 1,000 employees in the Detroit area, volunteered more than 60,000 hours and issued more than $12 million in donations and employee matching gifts in Michigan.

“GE is continuing to grow its presence in Detroit and is committed to aiding in the revitalization of the Motor City,” said Stephen Sabrio, site leader at the AMSTC. “We are proud to call Detroit home and through volunteer efforts like this one, we hope to put excitement back into the city’s neighborhoods.”

About GE

GE (NYSE:GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

ABOUT IDEAL GROUP

Founded in 1979, the Ideal Group employs nearly 500 people with annual revenues approaching $250 million. The Ideal Group, located in Detroit consists of seven companies including, Ideal Contracting, Ideal Setech, Ideal Setech Share-The-Spare, Ideal Shield, Ideal Surplus Sales and Ideal Utility Supply. Ideal is a ten time General Motors Supplier of the Year, received multiple safety awards and is active in communities in which it works. Ideal believes in taking care of its community by building strong local, corporate and non-profit partnerships capable of producing neighborhood projects such as Cadillac Urban Gardens on Merritt and Scarcyny Park & Gardens. For more information, visit www.weareideal.com.

Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision (SDEV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our mission is to improve the environment and strengthen the economy of Southwest Detroit. We work together with residents, community organizations, government agencies, schools, youth groups, businesses and industries to combat environmental issues. We are funded through memberships, individual and corporate donations, and federal, state and local grants. SDEV is the lead non-profit partner in the Merritt Street Clean Neighborhood Plan, Cadillac Urban Gardens on Merritt and Scarcyny Park and Garden. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.sdevweb.org.