I scream, you scream, we all scream for FREE ice cream

On a beautiful, 80 degree, Tuesday afternoon hundreds of Quicken Loans team members flocked outside to the Campus Martius Park to enjoy some delicious ice cream.

The Salvation Army arrived in Detroit to hand out ice cream sandwiches/ drumsticks, and one dollar was generously donated for every ice cream that was eaten!!

Brian Wilson, Vince Speelman, Chelsey Twigg and Julie Bellinson were just a few of the hundreds of participating Quicken Loans team members.

Salvation Army band members performed a beautiful ensemble while Paws, the Detroit Tigers Mascot, tried to snatch away everyone's ice creams!

The Salvation Army has proudly supported Detroit for the past 125 years.  They continue to offer hope to the downtrodden with utility assistance, free legal aid, food assistance, shelter, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, after school programming, outdoor activities, music and spiritual worship.

In fact, the Salvation Army currently provides the needy of Metro Detroit with 8,753 meals per day and shelters 1,882 each night!

A special thanks to Kroger for its generous donations, and thank you to all the Quicken Loans team members who helped the Salvation Army reach its goal of raising $10,000. 

You are all truly, ENGINEERED TO AMAZE!!

Click HERE for more information on the Salvation Army

 

 

Quicken Loans sponsors Mercy Education Project: 20th Anniversary Doorway to the Future Dinner

Thursday, May 11, the Quicken Loans Community Relations team attended the Mercy Education Project: 20th Anniversary Doorway to the Future Dinner Event, at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The evening commenced with mingling and appetizers in the DIA atrium.  The room was lavishly decorated with suits of medieval armor and medieval swords, knives, daggers and guns positioned around the room.

The Mercy Education guests were then seated and provided with a delicious three-part meal, and presentations from the Dinner organizers: honoring Terry Barclay and Linda Forte for their part in providing educational opportunities, life skills development, and cultural enrichment for women and girls who have limited access to resources.

Terry Barclay, President & CEO of the Inforum and Inforum Center for Leadership, and Linda Forte, SVP Business Affairs & Chief Diversity Office of Comerica Bank, joined a long list of Mercy Education Project nominees since 2007.

The Mercy Education Project provides a caring, supportive learning environment for low-income women and girls who have experienced hardships and troubles in their education.

They provide educational programs which improve the academic outcomes of these women, and help them become strong, confident, more hopeful and better equipped for success in school and life.

Congratulations the Mercy Education Project and the honorees Terry Barclay and Linda Forte for all the good they are doing for women in the city of Detroit, you truly are ENGINEERED TO AMAZE!

Click HERE for more information on the Mercy Education Project.

 

Five outstanding executives honored at the Quicken Loans JA Finance Park

On Wednesday, May 9, Quicken Loans team members attended the Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan's dinner event at the Quicken Loans JA Finance Park in Detroit.

For the third consecutive year, Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan, in partnership with DBusiness magazine and News/Talk 760 WJR, selected five executives from businesses in Michigan who have driven their organizations to new heights.

Quicken Loans Vice President  David Carroll started the night with an opening speech welcoming everyone to the event and setting the stage for a phenomenal evening: featuring an exquisite strolling dinner, fine wine, and awe-inspiring speeches.

In honor for their contributions to moving the economy in Southeastern Michigan forward Jim Anderson, Mindi Fynke, Alicia Renea Jones, James Kamsickas and Dr. Prabhakar Patil were awarded the titles of “Champions of the New Economy”.

All five nominees, the CEO's of Urban Science, EHIM Inc., Harmony Point CTC, IAC Group and LG Chem Power Inc., respectively, have continued to provide Detroiters with work in Michigan.

The Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan works to further the growth of Detroit by providing critical educational programs to students.  They inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy, by providing effective, tested, volunteer driven educational programs to students in grades K - 12 in the areas of financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship.

The Quicken Loans JA Finance Park regularly hosts 8,200 students each year, teaching them high-tech, hands-on learning through facilities and programs that teach the students the skills and importance of practical decision making and responsible budgeting.

Congratulations to Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan and all the honorees for continuing to strengthen Michigan’s economy. You truly are ENGINEERED TO AMAZE!!

Click HERE for more information on Junior Achievement.

Quicken Loans proudly supports ChildHelp's "Drive the Dream Gala"

Saturday, May 5, the Quicken Loans CR team attended ChildHelp's annual "Drive the Dream Gala" at the GM Heritage Center, where our very own Dan and Jennifer Gilbert were the cosponsors of the Inspirational Highway!

The Drive the Dream Gala aimed to celebrate ChildHelp's love of kids and cars, and provide a way for the organization to pay homeage to the various roads of life that have led to their philanthropic destination.

ChildHelp plans to free children from abuse and neglect, and drive them a little closer towards their dreams by providing therapeutic, competent and passionate foster care.  In fact, the organization has paired 80 percent of their foster children with families that are willing and able to show them compassion, love and care.

The night started with entertainment from John Secada as guests wandered around the GM Heritage Center viewing GM's history and advancement through their automobiles.

Guests were then treated to a delicious strolling dinner, before being given the opportunity to take place in a silent auction.  The night then wrapped up with desserts and dancing.

Congratulations ChildHelp, you truly are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children, and you really are ENGINEERED TO AMAZE!

Click HERE for more information on ChildHelp.

Quicken Loans presents the first ever DIFF Maker of the Year award

As if the 2012 Gilbert Awards weren't already an amazing treat for the senses: featuring dazzling lights, exquisite food, exotic drinks, and most importantly, GREAT people, the Quicken Loans Community Relations team, for the first time ever, created an award to honor those that went above and beyond the call, volunteering  hours of their time to the advancement and betterment of Detroit!

Each year, the Community Relations team is hard at work behind the scenes developing ways for Quicken Loans and its team members to extend their reach into the Detroit, Cleveland and Scottsdale communities.

After countless hours are poured into determining the most fulfilling events and charities to sponsor/donate to, the CR team then begins the task of finding volunteers to attend the multitude of dinners, events, shows, workshops, etc.

It's here that five QL team members really stepped forward and began to shine, and where Stephanie Hefner earned herself the first ever DIFF Maker of the Year award!!

Congrats to all five nominees, and a special thanks to all of our team members who come out time and time again to all of our events, we couldn't do it without you!

Stephanie was named the 2012 Diff Maker of the Year for her commitment to making a difference in her community, by participating in countless QL volunteer events since starting in 2003.

She gracioulsy donated her time to help plant vegetables at Capuchin Earthworks, built homes for the less fortunate at Habitat for Humanity, and provided food for the poverty stricken through Lighthouse of Oakland County and Gleaners, to name a few.

When asked how she felt after winning the award Stephanie said, "I am extremely honored to have won this award and it came as a complete surprise!  I give back to the community because helping others is something I genuinely enjoy.  I often bring friends and family with me when I volunteer and it gives us a chance to connect while sharing a common goal of improving our community. It is something I strongly believe in and encourage others to do as well."

Stephanie demonstrated that she surely is dedicated to improving the Detroit community through her passion for helping those in need, and the time and talent she offers each year to volunteering. 

Besides the hard work that team members put into their communities, many others were honored at the Gilbert Awards for the hard work, creativity, team work and passion that they put in each and every day.

There were many other notable accomplishments, and team members were awarded  with the Best Performance in Process Improvement award, Best Performance in a Communications Role, the People's Choice Award - Operations, the Award for Most Amazing Engineering, Best Performances in a Leading Role, Best Performance in a Supporting Role, the ISMs in Action Award, Best Performance in an External Client Service Role, the Award for Outstanding Innovation, People'es Choice Award - Tile Source, and the Best Direction award.

The Gilbert Awards was an exciting event recognizing various QL team members for their continued contributions to the workplace and the communities in which they live.

Almost 300 team members volunteered 4,500 volunteer hours in Cleveland, Detroit and Arizona in 2011. 

A special thanks to everyone who contributed their time and efforts, and congratulations to all the award winners, you truly are, Engineered to AMAZE!!