- Nissan employees delivered more than 2,500 lbs. of fresh produce to Hospitality House Food Pantry in Commerce Township in 2018
- Nissan donated a NV Cargo Van to the charity, allowing the organization to expand services in 2017
FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. – Instead of socializing in the cafeteria during lunch, a group of employees at Nissan Technical Center North America (NTCNA) slip on gardening boots and head outside to get their hands in the dirt for a heartwarming cause.
At least twice a week, gardening volunteers are sowing seeds, mulching, picking weeds and harvesting zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers and other vegetables from the NTCNA Organic Garden, located just outside Nissan's North American research and development (R&D) headquarters, where more than 1,200 employees work.
After harvesting, the crew transports the bounty in a volunteer's Nissan vehicle to Hospitality House Food Pantry in Commerce Township, about five miles away.
"At Nissan, we encourage our employees to be ambassadors in the community," said Takeshi Yamaguchi, senior vice president, Research and Development, Nissan Technical Center North America. "Besides providing fresh and healthy food for locals in need, the organic garden allows our engineers to get outside during their busy work days, which can relieve stress and boost morale. Nissan is proud to support their efforts and the Hospitality House Food Pantry."
Hospitality House is a client-choice charity that serves more than 500 households in Oakland County. The pantry allows patrons to choose items from aisles of donated groceries. Nissan has been providing fresh produce for several years.
In addition to food donations, Nissan donated an NV Cargo Van to Hospitality House in 2017, which enabled the food pantry to expand its services, including providing milk for its patrons for the first time.
"We've never been in a position to acquire large, vast amounts of free food because we didn't have the resource to get it," said Donovan Neal, executive director of Hospitality House Food Pantry. "As a result of this van, we've been able to take advantage of free food that's available to us from food banks and load up this van with gallons and gallons of milk. Without that van, we weren't able to do that before. We can't thank Nissan enough."
Even during Michigan's harsh winter months, the gardening crew is still at work - drafting grids, selecting plants and developing harvesting schedules for the following year. The strategic planning has been fruitful as the garden continues to provide more vegetables for the pantry each year.
Bob Schuler, a Nissan engineer who has been involved with the NTCNA Organic Garden for four years, says 2018 is the garden's most productive year yet with more than 2,500 lbs. pounds of produce donated by mid-September.
"This is our small contribution to the charity," Schuler said. "It's humbling. Some patrons pull vegetables out of the box as we're delivering it. They recognize what we're producing is fresh – right off the vine."