GM's Dan Akerson, Wife Donating $1M to Habitat for Humanity Initative

DETROIT (WJBK) -- Habitat for Humanity kicked off an initiative of "Leaders to ReBuild Detroit". The goal is to raise $25 million dollars to build and rehabilitate 500 homes in Detroit.

GM CEO Dan Akerson and his wife, Karin, are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary and wanted to share with their adopted home, so in a big way they wanted to jump start the Habitat initiative with a big gift.

"Have generously agreed to personally donate $1 million towards a new initiative to be known as 'Leaders to ReBuild Detroit,'" Vincent Tilford from Habitat for Humanity Detroit announced Wednesday.

Akerson said the needs are obvious.

"All you have to do is drive around the city and you can see the need. I think it's great. A lot of business have gotten behind trying to help rebuild the neighborhoods, rebuild the city, and in my life leadership has been key, and I think every once in a while rather than have an institution step up, an individual on a personal basis has to step up," he explained.

Akerson wants his generosity to spread.

"Habitat would appreciate any contributions to help rebuild Detroit," he said.

Habitat's work in the Morningside Commons neighborhood inspired the Akersons. Children living in Habitat homes do better in school than others and generally have a better quality of life. People from that neighborhood see more progress.

"It's going to do so much for our community. They're going to build more homes, more rehab homes, the weatherization for existing home owners. I love it because it's a melding together of the communities, the Habitat participants and those that are not a part," said Celeste Jackson with the Morningside Neighborhood Association.

"This is a great day for the Morningside neighborhood, and it's a demonstration of faith by a real leader," said neighbor Eric Dueweke.

Akerson said when he first saw some Detroit neighborhoods, it reminded him of the bombed-out Berlin he saw in military service. The GM boss hopes his contributing can help change that.