Answering the Call: How Ford Volunteers Joined Team Rubicon to Help the Asheville, North Carolina Community Recover
When Kyle Green, a volunteer specialist with Ford Philanthropy, deployed to Asheville, North Carolina, with Team Rubicon, he expected to lend a hand. What he didn't expect was how deeply he'd be moved by the stories, strength, and resilience of the people he met.
"It was hard to put into words the impact of connecting with volunteers from across the country for a full week, coming together for the same mission to help a community rebuild," Green shared.
Green was one of more than two dozen Ford employees who volunteered alongside Team Rubicon in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which brought catastrophic flooding and wind damage to the Southeast. Their work builds on Ford's longstanding commitment to community support, now strengthened through Ford Building Together — a new partnership that leverages the power of Ford to support the critical work of four national nonprofits responding to evolving community needs.
”When you see what service can do — not just for others, but for you — it changes how you show up in the world.”Kyle Green, volunteer specialist with Ford Philanthropy
Ford Building Together unites our philanthropic efforts, skilled workforce, innovative technology, and broad dealer network to support organizations including Team Rubicon that are helping communities recover and rebuild. It's a call to action for employees, dealers, and customers alike to come together and strengthen the places we all call home.
For Ford, the commitment goes far beyond financial donations. It means empowering employees including Green to step up, volunteer, and bring real skills to real challenges—on the ground, where it matters most.
A Policy That Made a Real Difference
For more than 120 years, Ford has stood shoulder to shoulder with communities through good times and bad, encouraging employees to volunteer their expertise. Building on this legacy, Ford's Extended Volunteer Time Off Policy allowed Green to step away from his day-to-day work and dedicate a full week to serving alongside veterans and volunteers. The policy gives employees up to 56 hours of paid time off each year to volunteer with select nonprofit organizations, enabling deeper, hands-on support where it's needed most.
"The support from Ford leadership made it possible for me to step away from my day job and fully commit to the mission," Green said. "It wasn't just a few hours; it was a full week of service, side by side with veterans and volunteers from around the country."
Restoring Spaces and Human Connections
In Asheville, Green helped restore living spaces at the Veterans Restoration Quarters (VRQ), where floodwaters devastated the homes of 167 veterans.
But the work was about more than cleanup. On the third day, Green and his team navigated around a washed-out bridge to meet the veterans they were helping. The conversations went far beyond the storm, touching on military service, life journeys, and the community that brought them together.
"Hearing their stories made us get up a little earlier and work a little harder the next morning," Green said.
Service That Sticks With You
Serving as a Greyshirt with Team Rubicon offers Green and other Ford volunteers a powerful perspective on resilience and community.
"Being immersed in somebody's worst day makes you take a step back and better understand the people who are impacted and the role you play as a volunteer," he reflected.
For Green, Team Rubicon's mission-driven energy was inspiring. "It showed me the importance of showing up — not just in moments of crisis, but every day."
From the Road, With Gratitude
Though the Asheville mission has wrapped, the impact continues for the community and the volunteers. Through Ford Building Together and ongoing support for extended volunteer service, Ford is helping its people take meaningful action where it's needed most.
As Green put it, "When you see what service can do — not just for others, but for you — it changes how you show up in the world."