Caterpillar employees make AID a priority

Submitted by AID

On June 22, 125 employees of Caterpillar Aurora and their family members held their inaugural Community Day. They all donated their personal time to do volunteer service work in the Aurora community.

The Association for Individual Development, an organization with a mission of empowering individuals with disabilities, mental illness and special needs to achieve independence and community inclusion, was one of four local human service organizations that benefited from the CAT Community Day projects.

AID recently purchased an apartment building in Aurora that will provide affordable housing to eight low-income individuals. The building was purchased through the city of Aurora Community Housing Development Program.

Funds were limited to purchase and the building desperately needed extensive renovation and repair to avail it for suitable living; CAT volunteers made those renovations possible.

CAT volunteers removed appliances, cabinet doors, carpet, and interior doors, old bushes, old wood fences, clothesline poles and concrete bases, and installed new mailboxes and exterior light fixtures. The volunteers’ hard work came at the right time and allowed AID to allocate funds to services instead of repairs.

The Caterpillar Aurora family showed their generosity by working through inclement weather.

The helping hands and positive spirits made for a successful, productive and fun Caterpillar Community Day 2013.