Chrysler Group LLC Employees Honor the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a Week of Community Service to Benefit Southeast Michigan Residents

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --  

• More than 150 employees expected to participate across southeast Michigan
• Fourth annual MLK Week of Service benefits residents and strengthens partnership with the United Way of Southeastern Michigan

Beginning Jan. 16, the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, Chrysler Group LLC employees will commemorate the life and legacy of King with a week of hands-on community service activities throughout southeast Michigan.

"The Chrysler Group would like to transform the federal holiday honoring King into a week of service grounded in his teaching of nonviolence and social justice," Daphne Harris, Manager, Civic and Community Relations – Chrysler Group LLC, said. "The aim is to make the holiday a time when people of all ages and backgrounds come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers and move the nation closer to the 'beloved community' that King envisioned."

This marks the fourth consecutive year that Chrysler Group employees will commemorate the holiday with a week of community service in partnership with the United Way of Southeastern Michigan. More than 150 volunteers are expected to participate in the following activities:  

Monday, Jan. 16: Walter White Community Center Early Learning Community Hub (River Rouge) – building cleanup and beautification, including mural painting.

Tuesday, Jan. 17: Vista Maria (Dearborn Heights) – campus beautification efforts.

Wednesday, Jan. 18: Fish and Loaves Community Food Pantry (Taylor) – sorting and boxing perishable food; and assisting clients with food selection.

Thursday, Jan. 19: Hope Center in Macomb (Fraser) – stocking the food pantry; and assisting clients with checkout.

Friday, Jan. 20: Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan (Pontiac) – packing food boxes for those in need. 

Additionally, Sergio Marchionne, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, will chair the United Way of Southeastern Michigan 2012 campaign. As campaign chair, Marchionne will be the face and voice of fundraising and education efforts and recruit other leaders within southeast Michigan to serve as members of his campaign cabinet. Marchionne will also work to promote the growth and impact of the campaign among businesses and individuals.

During the last year, Chrysler Group employees volunteered thousands of hours in support of United Way supported-agencies and activities. In total, these projects touched the lives of more than 208,000 community residents in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC