Rebuilding a Community – Part I

June 7, 2011 2:15 pm CT

Never is the sense of unity so strong as it is after a disaster strikes a community, taking with it loved ones and memories.

Such a horrific event occurred just a few weeks ago in Joplin, Missouri, when an F5 tornado tore through the town, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.

Gabriel Ismaio, Chevrolet area sales manager, arrived the day after the tornado struck to survey the damage and determine how best General Motors could help. With the help of Chevrolet Zone Manager Ken Sadowski, Gabe contacted local Chevrolet dealers in the region who together donated a total of $80,000 for the relief effort.

Dan Auffenberg, owner of Crossroads Chevrolet-Cadillac in Joplin,  has likewise committed $50,000 to help support his employees, five of whom lost their homes in the tornado.The dealership has also become a base for donation collection, including clothing, food, water, and other necessities taken from those hit hard by the storm.

To offer additional support to the relief and recovery efforts, the GM Foundation provided a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross, and two full-sized Chevrolet vans were provided to the local YMCA to be used by the “Children of the Storm” program, which provides a safe place for youth to go while their parents rebuild.

Total contributions to Joplin by GM now exceed $250,000, which we hope will provide even the smallest bit of encouragement and hope to the families affected.

Our thoughts are with our friends and family in the Joplin community in this time of hardship, but we know that when we’re faced with tragedy, we pull together and help each other make it through, coming out stronger and more unified than ever.

Read more about GM’s community efforts at www.facesofgm.com.