Current and retired workers at Stellantis in Windsor have handed in more than three-quarters of a million dollars to the local United Way fundraising campaign.
The workers unveiled on Thursday a total of $825,670.26 was raised during their workplace campaign for the United Way Centraide Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent.
This year’s contribution is up 11 per cent compared to the last campaign.
The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant also produced a Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Charger Scat Pack filled with school supplies and distributed them to students participating in United Way’s On Track to Success (OTTS) program, which provides academic support, mentoring, mental health resources, career exploration opportunities, and financial assistance to local youth and their families.
Plant manager of the Windsor Assembly Plant Peter Vitti says it’s beyond special to be able to give back this much.
“Another show for the Windsor Assembly Plant. They’re the most giving people in the community, year after year, campaign after campaign,” he says. “They always sacrifice to give back to the community, and they say thank you. They appreciate what they do and appreciate what they have. They’re the first people to invest in this community, and I can’t thank them enough.”
The donation, the largest single contribution to United Way in the Windsor-Essex region, was announced at Catholic Central High School in Windsor.
United Way Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent CEO Lorraine Goddard says they are invested in Cradle to Career strategies and programs.
“The focus of that is to support children and their families from the time they basically start kindergarten to the time they start a career. We are really hyper focused on working with families from an equity lens, equity-deserving populations, where we know they face many, many barriers,” she says.
Goddard says these dollars will go to the Cradle to Career strategy, which not only supports academic success.
“Supports the whole family with mental health, food insecurity, and transportation. Really removing those barriers that families deal with that prevent their ability to be successful and their children’s ability,” she says.
Stellantis’ contribution will directly support critical community programs, including access to technology and academic support for school-age children, mental health counselling services, and the regional food bank network serving thousands of local residents.