Engineering Efficiency: How a Ford Employee Volunteer Helped a Food Bank Serve More Families, Faster

“During COVID, I was the one waiting in line to pick up food for my neighbors. Years later, when given the chance to volunteer, I knew I could help make the process more efficient,” shared Shanikia Little, a Ford Software Engineer.

Her motivation is a familiar one at Ford, where many employees are encouraged to share their skills with the local community. For decades, Ford volunteers have supported Gleaners Community Food Bank—a longtime Ford Philanthropy partner and member of the Feeding America network—in its mission to fight food insecurity across Southeast Michigan.

When the pandemic challenged traditional food distribution methods, Gleaners quickly implemented a drive-up model to safely serve families. Over time, they refined the process by separating walk-up and drive-up services and reorganizing traffic flow, significantly improving efficiency and reducing wait times.

As this model evolved, Shanikia saw an opportunity to make things even better. Volunteering her time and technical expertise, she helped design a mobile conveyor belt system to simplify the packing and distribution process. The solution reduced physical strain on volunteers, sped up food distribution and increased Gleaners’ capacity to serve more people.

Gleaners now distributes 14,000 meal kits per month and serves around 200 people per hour—doubling its previous rate. The improvements are now being implemented at Gleaners distribution sites across Michigan.

Shanikia is an example of what is possible when a Ford employee volunteers their skills and expertise with organizations like Gleaners. Shanikia’s volunteerism reflects the deeper value behind Ford Building Together, a new enterprise-wide initiative that leverages the power of Ford to support the critical work of four national nonprofits: American Red Cross, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, and Team Rubicon.

Ford Building Together combines Ford’s philanthropic efforts, dealer network, people and products with the expertise of some of the most trusted nonprofits in the country. This partnership goes beyond giving. It’s about activating our collective resources around a common goal: building stronger communities for future generations and helping them recover and rebuild in the face of crises and natural disasters. By connecting employee skills, innovative tools, and hands-on support with organizations doing critical work, Ford Building Together is designed to meet communities where they are and help move them forward.

Ford volunteers continue to play a hands-on role at Gleaners, applying their skills to support everything from packing meal kits to improving how food reaches the families and individuals they serve. This ongoing involvement reflects a commitment to community and a culture where employees are encouraged to turn their expertise into meaningful action.