Ford dealers, employees making a difference with caring

Traversing both the Silverton Assembly Plant, Struandale Engine Plant and the national dealer network; these projects supported education, food security, disability support and care for children and local families. This included a remarkable 36,42 Tonnes of food.

Held each September, Ford Philanthropy’s Global Caring Month is Ford’s annual employee volunteering initiative. In South Africa, these efforts reflect Ford’s commitment to bringing employees, dealers and community organisations together to respond to local needs in a programme called “Ford Building Together”.

“Global Caring Month is a chance to put care into action, alongside the people and organisations who understand their communities best. Across South Africa, our employees and dealer partners brought their time, skills and energy to projects that support learning, wellbeing and opportunity,” says Duduzile Nxele, Corporate Communications Manager, Ford South Africa.

Dealer partners extended the programme into their communities. Hatfield Motor Group’s project at Johannesburg Children’s Home focused on vegetable gardens, shade structures and improvements to the children’s village. Ben Morgenrood supported Connie Mulder Centre with food, facility repairs, skills-training equipment and continued care of its gardens.

Other dealer initiatives helped expand opportunities for young people. CMH Ford Umhlanga supported access to football equipment for under-resourced rural schools through Namenyi Project Hope, while NMI Ford N1 City supported surfing equipment and coaching through The Kamvalethu Foundation. Human Auto Bloemfontein partnered with ENGO Free State on meal kits for more than 220 families, and Sentracor supported a community feeding scheme serving around 500 people.

Alongside these projects, the Global Dealer Food Drive provided a further way for dealers and their communities to contribute. Dealers collected 33 962 kilograms of food, with a further 2 454 kilograms collected internally by Ford, bringing the combined total to 36 416 kilograms.

Human Auto Welkom led dealer collections with 8 268 kilograms, followed by CMH Kempster Ford Umhlanga with 7 500 kilograms and Nelspruit Ford with 2 700 kilograms. Working with local donors, partners and businesses, Human Auto Welkom packed donations into hampers for charities, schools and families in urgent need. Its contribution was estimated to have provided food assistance to 4 218 people.

At the Silverton Assembly Plant, volunteers established and tended food gardens, improved classrooms and care facilities, and provided equipment and practical support to people with disabilities. Other activities focused on youth careers, health and gender-based violence awareness, alongside improvements at children’s homes and community facilities.

Support for people with disabilities also brought Ford South Africa’s Policy Team to Botho Botjha Training Centre in the Vaal. The team improved the sick bay and other facilities, worked in the garden, donated wheelchairs and first aid kits, and spent time with staff and beneficiaries to learn about the centre’s skills development work.

In Gqeberha and surrounding areas, the Struandale Engine Plant focused on projects that addressed food security, education and community wellbeing. Initiatives with Love Story and the Association of Persons with Disabilities focused on food security, gardening and entrepreneurship.

Bet Sheekoom House of Restoration for Women in Crisis received support through essential supplies, while work with Siyaphambili Disable Community Project included facility improvements, water infrastructure and community meals.

Education projects included classroom, corridor and ablution improvements and learning resources for Emsengeni Primary School and Coega Primary School. Volunteers also supported a food garden at Gamble Street Secondary School and shared skills with young people at the Thulani Qusheka Foundation to help improve their employment prospects. Northwood Children’s Hospice received educational supplies and compassionate support for patients and their families.