For the past 3 years, I’ve attended a conference put on by the Ford Motor Company held at their global headquarters in Dearborn, MI called Forward with Ford. The conference pulls in a collection of automotive and non automotive journalists, bloggers and influencers with the focus each year on examining both current and emerging trends that relate to automobiles and society as a whole.
Breakout sessions each year tend to bring in a variety of well known personalities, which this year included Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and author Seth Godin among others. Each year the conference always finishes on Ford’s private test track where attendees get to take part in a series of unique driving experiences. This year, however a new twist was added on the final day as we were given the opportunity to participate in an event which took you off site and focused on community interaction.
From the options available, I chose to be part of a convoy of F-150 trucks which would deliver lumber to the construction office of Habitat for Humanity Detroit. Ford has been an active supporter of Habitat for Humanity in Detroit and has worked alongside the organization as they re-developed a particular area of the city by re-building 100 new homes.
I put together the following video to summarize the experience, which I was able to share with some fellow conference attendees.
The City of Detroit has been dealing with tremendous struggles since the economic meltdown of 2008. Even today the actual city itself is looking at insolvency as they continue to struggle with the challenge of meeting their ongoing demands while relying on a shrinking and struggling taxpayer base. I believe that corporations who call the greater Detroit area home have an obligation to become involed in the process of solving the problems and rebuilding the city again. I’m glad to see that through initiatives like their partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Ford Motor Company is accepting this obligation. Judging by the willingness of their employees I met on site during my visit, I’m also glad to see that there wasn’t much convincing necessary to get involved.
For more information on Habitat for Humanity Detroit, visit www.habitatdetroit.org.
Disclosure: Travel and accomodation to Forward with Ford was provided by Ford Motor Company.
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