EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - GE Capital Fleet Services announced it will be kicking off its United Way Campaign 2009 with a GE Global Community Day event at two CommonBond Communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul on Oct. 8. CommonBond is the largest nonprofit developer, manager and full-service provider of affordable homes in the Upper Midwest. GE has been working with CommonBond Communities since 2004.
"GE is a premier philanthropic partner. They have creatively and generously combined financial support and expertise with volunteer labor so that CommonBond's operation costs are greatly reduced and our efficiency increased. When we add up the financial contributions, working capital loans and volunteer hours, and consider all the money we have saved, this is a multi-million dollar partnership that supports our mission of creating homes with services for people in need," said Ann Ruff, Vice President of Development.
A team of close to 300 GE volunteers will work on landscaping, building, cleaning and painting structures at each of the following CommonBond locations:
Arbor Commons, Minneapolis: This project involves volunteers building a playground, landscaping the grounds, re-staining a pavilion and picnic table, as well as cleaning the parking lot.
Torre De San Miguel Homes, St Paul: During last year's GE Community Day, volunteers from GE worked at the CommonBond Torre de San Miguel housing complex to help reduce the facility's environmental footprint and improve the site's landscape. This year, volunteers are revisiting the facility to provide additional improvements, as well as expanding into additional locations to help paint porches of townhouses.
"Our employees are committed to giving back to the community by donating their time and skills through events such as GE Community Day," said Clarence Nunn, president and CEO of GE Capital Fleet Services. "It is more important than ever for companies to help strengthen and grow their communities through nonprofit organizations like the United Way and CommonBond."
Greater Twin Cities United Way programs have nearly 200 nonprofit partner agencies including CommonBond Communities. CommonBond Communities builds community by creating affordable housing as a steppingstone to success.
About GE Capital, Fleet Services
GE Capital, Fleet Services, based in Eden Prairie, Minn., is a global fleet management company with operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Visit the Web site at www.gefleet.com. GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. GE (NYSE: GE) is Imagination at Work - a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest problems. For more information, visit www.ge.com.
About CommonBond
Founded in 1971, CommonBond Communities is the largest nonprofit developer, manager and service provider of affordable homes with services in the Upper Midwest. The organization preserves, builds, and manages apartments and town homes while providing on-site resident services. It has earned a national reputation for excellence, leveraging resources and providing housing that is viewed as a community asset. CommonBond's homes with services serve as a catalyst to promote economic independence for adults and academic achievement for youth, as well as bolstering independent living and lifelong learning for seniors and people with special needs. More information is available at www.commonbond.org.
