FCA Foundation awards Oakland Family Services $7,500 grant
FCA US employees helped out at the end-of-the-year picnic for our Children’s Learning Center in Pontiac.
Oakland Family Services will be able to help more individuals build brighter futures thanks to a $7,500 grant from the FCA Foundation, a charitable arm of North American automaker FCA US LLC.
The grant is a result of the partnership the agency has with the FCA US Motor Citizens volunteer program. Since 2015, FCA US employees have assisted the agency in a number of ways. From grounds cleanup projects, to supporting learning outcomes for children in our preschool, to hosting donation drives for our families, Oakland Family Services has benefited immensely from more than 300 hours of hands-on volunteer service provided by FCA US employees over the last year.
“We are appreciative of the FCA Foundation and all of the FCA US volunteers who have had a major impact on the families we serve,” said Kristin Benton, director of development at Oakland Family Services. “Through their financial gift and donation of time, we are able to give children and families new and exciting experiences that will enrich their lives as well as access to our programs.”
The funding received from the grant is unrestricted, meaning it is not targeted for any specific program or service at the agency.
“Unrestricted contributions allow us to be more flexible and fulfill agency needs as they arise,” Benton explained. “The funds help with expenses, such as trainings for staff to expand their knowledge as best practices in our fields change. These funds also allow us to help cover the cost of services for clients who are without insurance, or whose insurance doesn’t cover the full cost of services. This is especially true for clients receiving mental health and substance abuse treatment.”
This isn’t the first time the FCA Foundation has provided funding to the agency. In 2017, Oakland Family Services was awarded a $10,000 grant, and in 2018 the agency received two gifts totaling $10,500.