OREANDA-NEWS. August 25, 2016. As the Salvation Army’s Bed & Bread truck travels through some of Detroit’s poorest neighborhoods distributing food, one resource the charity doesn’t have to worry about is the vehicle’s next tank of gas. Marathon Petroleum Corporation's (MPC’s) Detroit refinery actively supports the Bed & Bread program by providing fuel for the vehicle, keeping it moving as it takes meals to those in need.

“One of the inspiring aspects of our business is that every day we come to work, we’re manufacturing the fuels that make modern life possible,” said Dave Roland, general manager of the Detroit refinery. “Donating fuel to the Salvation Army’s Bed & Bread truck is a concrete way for us to make life better for those who need it most.”

Because petroleum products are fundamental to transportation, they play a role in almost every aspect of daily life that benefits the public. In addition to hunger alleviation, another example is law enforcement. Since July 2013, the Detroit refinery has helped to refurbish three Detroit Police Department (DPD) vehicles, fund officers’ pay for directed patrols in neighborhoods adjacent to the refinery, and has provided all the fuel for police cruisers conducting the directed patrols.

“Road repairs that were being conducted in the area had been affecting the DPD’s response times to calls in our area, so we thought funding these directed patrols would be a good solution for our neighbors,” said Rich Robell, head of refinery security. “Initially, the program was jointly funded with the Michigan Department of Transportation and the city of Detroit, but since their funding ran out, we’ve been happy to continue financing the program.”

Through March 2016, the program had funded more than 1,300 shifts and resulted in shorter average response times than the rest of the city of Detroit.

“Charity and public safety are just two aspects of daily life that we help make possible through the products we make,” said Roland. “We’re happy to use our core business as a way to enhance our neighbors’ lives.”