For DTE’s corporate safety team and union safety directors, caring for others is part of the job. The two employee groups joined together for a Month of Caring day of service at Food Gatherers. Working side by side, they supported an organization working to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes in the community.
The volunteer event brought together 22 DTE employees from corporate safety and union safety. Together, the group sorted 2,600 pounds of food, a tangible reminder that when people gather around a common purpose, everyone’s actions add up to meaningful impact.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community in such a meaningful way,” said Chris Sulewski, DTE’s director of Corporate Safety. “It was especially rewarding to partner with an organization that not only provides food to those in need but does so with dignity at the heart of its mission. Being able to support that effort alongside DTE teammates made the experience even more impactful.”
Food Gatherers, the food bank and food rescue program serving Washtenaw County, distributes millions of pounds of food each year through a network of community partners and direct service programs. Every volunteer hour helps the organization make the most of its resources, whether teams are sorting food, packing boxes or preparing items for distribution to neighbors who need them.
For DTE’s safety organization, the day was also a reminder that collaboration does not stop at operational safety. The same teamwork that helps protect coworkers in the field and at DTE facilities can also strengthen the communities where we live and work. By volunteering together, participants reinforced their shared commitment to service, stewardship and caring for others.
The effort was part of a broader culture of giving back that DTE employees continue to bring to volunteer opportunities across the company during Month of Caring and beyond. At the end of the day, the joint effort reflected who we are when we show up for one another and for our communities. For corporate safety and union safety directors, the event showed that safety, caring and community go hand in hand.