DETROIT, MI., June 22, 2018 – Now in its fourth year, the Mahindra Urban Agriculture Grant Program disbursed $127,000 in funding and equipment to eight southeast Michigan non-profits in Detroit. The funding was announced at a Grant Celebration and Benefit Concert featuring the Detroit Cobras at Detroit's Lafayette Greens, an innovative urban garden operated by The Greening of Detroit.

Since the program’s inception in 2015, Mahindra has donated more than $425,000 in cash and farm equipment to 13 non-profits in support of sustainable farming and gardening in Detroit and Pontiac.

More than a million pounds of fresh food have been grown and distributed to Detroit residents through the efforts of the groups that received Mahindra grants or equipment over the past three years. Other uses of Mahindra’s grant funding have included installation of software that enables purchasers to use state-issued EBT cards and development of a prototype irrigation system for small gardeners.

By awarding these grants, Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA) renewed the company’s commitment to this region’s robust urban agriculture movement and to the Mahindra RISE mission of working for the betterment of the communities in which it operates.

“It’s an honor to be affiliated with each of our urban agriculture grant recipients,” said Richard Haas, MANA’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Their services are truly making a difference, and we couldn’t be prouder of the impact the company’s support is having on increasing accessibility to fresh, nutritious produce at affordable prices to residents throughout the city of Detroit and in Pontiac.”

This year’s recipients and the programs the grants will support, including five that received Mahindra funding previously, are listed below.

• American Indian Health and Family Services, Inc. ($10,000): to create the Sacred Roots garden at Romanowski Park in SW Detroit, where individuals may cultivate crops indigenous to their native cultures.
• Boggs Education Center ($10,000): to rejuvenate the urban gardens surrounding Boggs School and create a mobile food stand to take fresh produce to area residents.
• Eastern Market Corporation ($25,500): to purchase two Mahindra Retriever utility vehicles to support operations, including the weekly farmers’ markets that showcase locally grown produce.
• Full Circle Foundation ($8,784): to fund a summer intern employment program for special needs teens and young adults (2015, 2016 & 2017 grant recipient)
• The Greening of Detroit ($20,000): to support food production and operations at Lafayette Greens. (2015, 2016 & 2017 grant recipient)
• Keep Growing Detroit ($20,000): to assist in the relocation of the group’s garden and other programs to a new site. (2015, 2016 & 2017 grant recipient)
• Micah 6 Community ($8,144 ): to convert nine vacant lots into a fruit orchard and public garden spaces. (2017 grant recipient)
• Pingree Farms ($25,000): to install the Mahindra Agriscience Learning Center to support educational programs. (2017 grant recipient)

“Mahindra is committed to empowering and celebrating the communities in which we operate,” said Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group. “There are few better examples of our RISE philosophy in action than the work Mahindra Automotive North America is doing in Detroit. MANA’s pioneering Urban Agriculture Grant Program continues to empower Detroit residents by giving them access to fresh, sustainable produce and inspiring work opportunities for the underserved.”

About Mahindra Automotive North America

Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA) is the North American headquarters of the 20B Mahindra Group’s automotive division. MANA became the first automotive OEM to launch a manufacturing operation in SE Michigan in over 25 years when it began producing the ROXOR off-road vehicle earlier this year in Auburn Hills, MI. Working with affiliate Mahindra teams in India, Italy and Korea, MANA also continues to fulfill its mission as a center of automotive engineering excellence, which includes automotive design, engineering and vehicle development, and is led by a team of veteran industry executives, engineers and designers. For more information, visit mahindraautomotivena.com and roxoroffroad.com

About Mahindra

The Mahindra Group is a $20 billion (USD) federation of companies that enables people to rise through innovative mobility solutions, driving rural prosperity, enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities. It has a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, components, commercial vehicles, consulting services, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, steel, aerospace, defense and two-wheelers. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 200,000 people across 100 countries.

Learn more at mahindra.com