More than 1,000 Mercedes-Benz Financial Services employees are teaming up with 35 nonprofits in five countries starting today for Week of Caring, May 6-10

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI--May 6, 2013"  For most companies, ROI means Return on Investment, but for employees of Farmington Hills, MI-based Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, ROI has a greater meaning: "Return on Involvement."

This week, Monday through Friday, May 6-10, more than 1000 employees from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services locations in five countries across the Americas are teaming up with 35 nonprofit agencies for a Week of Caring, taking on community projects to benefit families in need, provide education to underserved youth and beautify communities.

"One of our core values is social responsibility and we are getting a tremendous response from our employees who want to make a significant, positive contribution to the communities where we live and work," said Peter Zieringer, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC.

Employees get two opportunities a year to contribute to non-profit agencies in their communities: once to the organization or agency of their choice as a paid personal holiday, and once in a group effort with other employees in their department for a particular agency.

The company focuses on three areas of need when selecting non-profit agencies to support: Community Enhancement which includes housing, food, clothing and greening & sustainability; Education; and Arts & Culture.

For example, this week in Detroit, about 100 MBFS employees will be rehabing houses with Habitat for Humanity in one location on Monday and Tuesday plus a second location Wednesday through Friday.  

Another group will be in southwest Detroit on Thursday working with a group called Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, to clean up graffiti on walls at a park and repaint them with murals under the direction of an artist from the College for Creative Studies.

In Fort Worth, Texas, where the company has its business operations center, approximately 140 employees will be working with REAL School Gardens on to create a learning garden that will be an integral part of the Burton Hills School and the surrounding community.

Follow the progress of Week of Caring on Facebook  or with Instagram at  #MBFSWeekofCaring