Together, the Ford Volunteer Corps and the University Relations team introduced 132 interns to Ford's culture of community impact with four projects at Gleaners Community Food Bank for National Intern Day. Our interns volunteered to pack and sort 40,000 lbs. of food over two days, resulting in 32,000 meals for area families.
A few of the interns shared their thoughts:
Evan O’Connell, a Global Operations Intern for Ford Land from the University of Alabama, was drawn to Ford’s legacy of giving back and wanted to be a part of it. “I set out to make a positive change in our local community because I know what it’s like to go through tough times.”
Lilyan Toma, a Ford Cyber Security intern from Wayne State University, was inspired by her immigrant upbringing to support families navigating similar struggles. “I learned that no matter what, even a small impact can lead to a bigger outcome. Volunteering means giving back without expecting anything in return but cherishing that you have impacted a family.”
Arthur Hamilton, a Ford Human Centered Design intern from Western Washington University, appreciated the paid volunteer time benefits that Ford offers its full-time employees. “At Gleaners, I learned to connect with my fellow interns through a common goal and have open communication when action needed to be taken.”
Ford interns join a long legacy of Ford employees who have helped strengthen the bond we have with our communities. Last year, Ford employees dedicated more than 1.4 million volunteer hours to causes they care about in their communities.
The Ford Volunteer Corps is powered by Ford Philanthropy. To learn more about Ford’s sixteen hours of paid community service, reach out to us at volunteer@ford.com.
