Alice McKeage Mike Dunn Volunteer of The Month Global PCSE Supervisor

Alice McKeage is making a difference in the lives of vulnerable young people. And that is why she is Ford Motor Company’s May Volunteer of the Month.

McKeage’s primary volunteer focus is on assisting youths who seek assistance at the Ruth Ellis Center, a social service agency that aids homeless and at-risk gay, lesbian, biattractional, transgender and questioning youth.

In nominating McKeage, center Executive Director Grace McClelland said McKeage seeks to understand others needs. “Her volunteer activities have been both self-initiated when she sees a need or when the center asks for help on a project. She ensures that Ford GLOBE and MODEL Teams members understand the mission of the center and the young people we serve.”

McKeage, a computer programmer in PCSE, says she began buying groceries and other items for the center several years ago. Since then she and GLOBE, for which she is the volunteer coordinator, have cleaned, painted and done construction work at the center, along with donating clothes and personal items.

“It breaks my heart,” says McKeage, that these youths have no home of their own. It’s important to her that the center provides them with meals, laundry and shower facilities and emergency shelter when it’s cold. “I feel sad about the kids living on the street who have no hopes or dreams and do not expect to live to become adults. . . . By donating food or laundry and bath supplies, I feel that in some small way I am helping to rekindle their hopes and dreams.”

Mike Dunn, Global PCSE supervisor, calls McKeage inspirational. “We all admire Alice’s years of devoted service to the community. Her leadership inspires people to work together and touch lives.”

McKeage says she appreciates Ford’s focus on volunteerism, noting that not only does it benefit communities, “it puts the company in a favorable light. I remember someone with an organization Ford had done community service with standing up and saying, ‘when we get vehicles for our organization, we’re going to get Fords.’” Dunn says he considers McKeage a great ambassador for Ford products.

McKeage says volunteering “gets you involved with other people and makes you see the world in different terms.” For people who aren’t certain how to get involved, she advises determining what they’re passionate about and then “look on the Ford Volunteer (www.volunteer.ford.com) Web site, because there are all kinds of projects listed; there are lots of organizations in the community, or find out what organizations your church partners with.”

Receiving Volunteer of the Month honors stunned McKeage, who says she never expected to be noticed. As for why she works so hard for others? “It feels so good to know you did your piece to help make the world a better place. And if we’re not here for that, what are we here for?”

Hourly and salaried Ford employees and retirees across the globe are candidates to receive the global Volunteer of the Month award. The award recognizes the efforts of individuals and groups who go to extraordinary lengths to help improve the lives of others and make the world a better place.

Previous winners include an individual who delivered food to elderly shut-ins, a woman who served as a foster mother to 22 children, and the man who led rebuilding efforts on behalf of Ford after the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia.

The award was established by Executive Chairman Bill Ford, who founded the Ford Volunteer Corps in February 2005 and signs each award, writing a personal message to each honoree.

The Volunteer Corps named its first Volunteer of the Month in August 2005.