Mopar® Flashes Muscle in Local Volunteer Effort

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- It took 75 volunteers, 55 gallons of paint and more than 1,000 articles of clothing to make a difference at this local United Way referral organization.

As part of a company-wide initiative with United Way, Mopar® employees continued their recent work with Southeastern Michigan Indians Inc. (SEMII) by repainting the organization's cultural center and sponsoring a "Dress for Success" clothing drive to provide professional attire to those in need.

The organization, located two blocks from Mopar's main parts distribution facility in Center Line Mich., provides social services to Native Americans and Macomb County, Mich., residents.

Volunteers from Mopar repainted the group's cultural center—replacing the faded pink and blue exterior coat with a beige base and burgundy stripe.

"The burgundy band represents medicine and healing," said Sue Franklin, Executive Director of SEMII. "The beige color connects the building to the earth."

Mopar volunteers gathered with the organization's staff and board members to celebrate the transformation of the building. The celebration included a flag ceremony by the Native American Veterans Association of SE Michigan and speeches by city officials, the group's board members and Mopar leadership.

Center Line Mayor Dave Hanselman thanked volunteers for their hard work.

"The building looks wonderful," Hanselman said. "The people from Mopar have enhanced the city through their work with SEMII."

Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group's service, parts and customer-care brand, spoke about the relationship between the Mopar Center Line facility and the surrounding community.

"With the same passion that Mopar uses to add value to our brands, we also want to add value in our community," said Gorlier. "Sometimes it is easy to leave the office without taking the time to get to know your neighbors. Our projects with SEMII have allowed us to build a friendship that will continue long into the future."

Sergio Marchionne, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, is currently serving as Campaign Chair for the United Way of Southeastern Michigan.

About Chrysler Group's Partnership with United Way

Last year, through the generosity of Chrysler Group employee pledges, including UAW and CAW-represented employees, more than $4.6 million was donated to United Way campaigns in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, hundreds of Chrysler Group employees volunteered thousands of hours to support United Way agencies and activities – from Pontiac to Detroit, Warren, Fraser and more communities in the state where time and resources were needed to help others.

About United Way of Southeastern Michigan

United Way for Southeastern Michigan mobilizes the caring power of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to improve lives in measurable and lasting ways throughout the region. The organization is led by a diverse group of volunteers from business, labor, government, human services, education and the community. United Way provides opportunities to invest in the metropolitan Detroit community through its annual campaign and is a leader in convening partners to impact local residents each year by increasing economic self-sufficiency, protecting children and youth at risk, strengthening families, empowering neighborhoods and communities, and promoting health and wellness. Additional information is available at www.LiveUnitedSEM.org.

About the Mopar Brand

Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand and distributes 280,000 parts and accessories. With the creation of the Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. partnership, Mopar is extending its global reach, integrating service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance dealer and customer support worldwide. Combined with Fiat SpA, Mopar's global portfolio includes more than 500,000 parts and accessories that are distributed in more than 120 countries. Mopar is the source for all genuine parts and accessories for Chrysler Group and Fiat SpA brands.

Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A.vehicles — a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.

75 Years of Mopar

Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for antifreeze product in 1937. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s — the muscle-car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth "package cars" equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of "special parts" for super-stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use. The brand has expanded to include technical service and customer support.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC