Denso workers donate time, skills for Food Bank
Stephanie Antonian Rutherford
The Enquirer
 

This week, more than 250 Denso Manufacturing plant employees put their assembly line skills to use to help feed local children in need.

On Wednesday, workers from three shifts spent their lunch breaks assembling food packages for the Food Bank of South Central Michigan's After School Pack Program, a free service that provides healthy weekend snacks for youth at area elementary schools.

The snack assembly line was all part of Denso's fundraising efforts for this year's United Way of Greater Battle Creek fundraising campaign.

Last week, more than 1,000 employees from companies across Battle Creek took part in the United Way's annual Day of Caring, where they partnered with local nonprofit agencies for hands-on volunteer work

"For employees who work on a factory line, it is very difficult to take time off the line for to participate in the Day of Caring events," said Barbara Ley, corporate services manager for Denso, an automobile parts manufacturer. "So we had the idea to bring it to them."

To complete the project, a large space in Denso's cafeteria was transformed into a makeshift assembly line. Instead of auto parts, tables were filled with granola bars and mini cereal boxes.

"We had a goal of assembling 500 food packs and we hit well over 600," said Brenda Dredge, who works in corporate services and co-chairs the company's United Way campaign, along with Denso employees Bill Birch and Jon Ruge.

The snacks and packaging were delivered to Denso by the Food Bank, with the help of staff at Stewart Industries, which assisted in transportation. Erick Stewart, president of Stewart Industries, is co-chairman of the local United Way campaign.

Seeing employees spending their breaks by helping those in need was meaningful to watch, said Cheryl Proctor, director of operations for the Food Bank.

Last year, Denso raised $265,000 for the United Way through employee donation and company sponsorship.

"In my history at the Food Bank, this is the first time I've seen a Day of Caring done on site," Proctor said. "I think it's fabulous and really goes a long way to show employees who contribute to the United Way where exactly their money is going

Originally published September 13, 2007