DTE Energy's 'Care Force' volunteers log nearly 6,700 hours for first annual Month of Caring

DETROIT, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- From Escanaba to Grand Rapids to Detroit and areas in between, DTE Energy Care Force volunteers teamed up and gave back to the causes they care about. In August, the company rallied nearly 1,500 employees to volunteer their time and energy as part of its first annual "Month of Caring." In total, DTE Care Force supported 91 nonprofits and volunteered more than 6,700 hours, or the equivalent of 838 work days.

"DTE Energy is dedicated to giving back and making a difference in the communities where we live and serve," said Mark Stiers, president and COO, DTE Gas. "We challenged our employees to step up and volunteer during our first annual Month of Caring, and they not only met, but surpassed our expectations."

Throughout the month, DTE volunteers lent a hand in numerous ways:

Nearly 25 percent of the total hours spent went to fight hunger and food scarcity through the support of community gardening, food packing and delivery, and food assistance services
17 percent of the volunteer efforts went to building, renovating and furnishing homes for families in need
14 percent of total hours went to benefit youth, youth-related programs and educational nonprofits
Additional causes included: environmental stewardship, animals, basic needs, research and medical groups, community services as well as neighborhood cleanup and beautification

"As a leading corporate citizen, DTE Energy emphasizes the importance of volunteering and embraces it as a key piece of our company's culture," Stiers added. "Volunteering helps to develop leadership skills among our employees, and more importantly, builds relationships with our neighbors and communities."

DTE Energy continues to build on its long and proud history of giving back. Since 2010, the company has sponsored enterprise-wide volunteer events, including "DTE Cares Day," and "DTE Cares Fridays." This year, DTE expanded its initiative to an entire month to more positively impact the community. Every year, DTE volunteers work with more than 200 nonprofits in 450 communities in Michigan.

Members of the media interested in details about volunteer events in their areas should call or email for more information.