Our Mark Williams Auto Group Ford stores are participating in Ford’s Global Food Drive and have already committed to donating more than 1,200 pounds of food to local food pantries.

Now we are asking you to join us.

Throughout September, our Ford showrooms will be accepting canned goods and nonperishable food items from members of the community.

The goal is simple: collect as much food as possible and help provide additional resources to local food pantries.

Your Pantry Can Help Stock Someone Else’s

Take a look around your kitchen.

Maybe there is an extra can of soup sitting in the cabinet. A box of pasta you bought during your last grocery trip. A jar of peanut butter. A box of cereal.

These everyday pantry staples can become valuable donations when they are given to organizations helping local families.

The best part is that helping does not have to be complicated.

The next time you are at the grocery store, consider picking up a few extra nonperishable items specifically for the food drive.

Then bring them to one of our Ford showrooms during September.

That is it.

You have turned an ordinary grocery trip into an opportunity to give back.

Why We Are Doing It

The September food drive is part of our ongoing commitment to community involvement through the Mark Williams Auto Group Kindness Project.

Established in 2018 by Mark Williams Auto Group and the Williams family, the Kindness Project was created as a way to give back to the communities that have supported our company and employees over the years.

For us, community involvement is not limited to a single campaign.

It is part of who we are.

Our dealerships have been part of the local community since 1992, and over the years we have had the opportunity to work with organizations, nonprofits, families, and community leaders who are making a difference every day.

Supporting local food pantries is another way we can contribute.

The Power of Participation

The impact of a food drive is not measured by the donation of one person.

It is measured by everyone who decides to participate.

Imagine 100 people each donating five pounds of food.

That is 500 pounds.

Now imagine hundreds of people throughout the communities we serve doing the same thing.

That is how a simple September food drive can grow into something meaningful.

Our Ford stores are already donating more than 1,200 pounds. We would love to see our community help us add even more.

What Can You Donate?

When choosing items for the September food drive, think about foods that are shelf stable and easy for food pantries to store and distribute.

Some examples include:

• Canned vegetables
• Canned fruit
• Canned soups
• Pasta and pasta sauce
• Rice
• Cereal
• Peanut butter
• Boxed meals
• Other nonperishable pantry staples

If you are unsure whether an item is appropriate, our dealership teams can help point you in the right direction.

The important thing is simply to participate.

A Chance to Make Kindness Contagious

One of the most meaningful parts of community giving is how quickly one act can inspire another.

You bring a bag of food to the dealership.

A friend sees your post about the food drive.

They decide to participate.

Their coworker hears about it.

Their family joins in.

Suddenly, one small contribution has encouraged several more.

That is the kind of momentum we hope to create throughout September.

We are not asking everyone to make a huge donation.

We are asking everyone to consider what they can do.

Stop By and Add to the Total

Throughout September, bring your canned goods or nonperishable food items to any Mark Williams Auto Group Ford showroom.

Whether you bring one can or several bags of groceries, your contribution is welcome.

Every item helps us increase the total and, more importantly, helps support local food pantries serving people in the communities around us.

Our team is proud to put more than 1,200 pounds of food toward the effort.

Now we want to see what we can accomplish together.

Driven by More Than the Road

For more than 30 years, Mark Williams Auto Group has been fortunate to grow alongside the communities we serve.

That relationship means something to us.

Being family owned and community driven means looking for opportunities to give back and encourage others to get involved.

The Kindness Project gives us a way to do exactly that.

This September, our Ford stores are putting that commitment into action through Ford’s Global Food Drive.

More than 1,200 pounds are already being donated. Now, we are asking you to help us add to that total.

The next time you head to the grocery store, grab a few extra nonperishable items.

Bring them to one of our Ford showrooms.

And help us turn a simple donation into something bigger.

Together, we can make an impact right here at home.

Mark Williams Auto Group was proud to support the event and stand alongside the families and organizations working to make a difference in the autism community.

For the team at Mark Williams Auto Group, the day represented an important reminder: when a community comes together around a meaningful cause, every person has an opportunity to make a difference.

Understanding the Importance of Awareness

Awareness begins with understanding.

Autism is a spectrum, and every individual and family experiences it differently. There is no single story that represents everyone in the autism community.

That is part of what makes organizations such as Empath for Autism so important. They help bring people together while providing support and creating opportunities for greater awareness and connection.

Community events can play a valuable role in that effort.

The Cincinnati Buddy Walk gives people an opportunity to learn, participate, and show support. It also provides families with a place to gather alongside others who understand their experiences.

For some, participation may mean walking alongside a loved one. For others, it may mean volunteering, donating, cheering from the sidelines, or simply learning more.

Every form of support contributes to the larger conversation.

Creating Space for Everyone

Inclusion is more than inviting people to participate. It is about creating environments where people feel welcomed, respected, and valued.

That idea extends across schools, workplaces, businesses, neighborhoods, and community organizations.

Events such as the Cincinnati Buddy Walk help make inclusion visible.

When hundreds of people come together to support a cause, they demonstrate that the community is willing to make space for conversations that matter. They also remind families that they are not alone.

For Mark Williams Auto Group, supporting the Buddy Walk was an opportunity to help reinforce that message.

The group's community involvement is rooted in a simple belief: local businesses have a responsibility to contribute to the communities that support them.

The Role of Community Partnerships

Nonprofit organizations depend on communities.

Whether through volunteers, donors, business partnerships, or event participation, community support allows organizations to continue doing their work and reaching the people who need them.

Empath for Autism is an example of an organization focused on serving the autism community and encouraging greater understanding and connection.

Mark Williams Auto Group is proud to support that mission through its involvement with the Cincinnati Buddy Walk.

Community partnerships create opportunities for organizations and businesses to bring their resources, people, and networks together. The result can be much greater than what any one organization could accomplish alone.

That spirit of partnership was on display throughout the event.

A Family-Owned Business With Community Roots

Mark Williams Auto Group has been family owned since 1992, and its history in the Cincinnati area has provided more than 30 years of opportunity to build relationships within the community.

For the Williams family, community involvement is an important extension of being a local business.

The people who walk through dealership doors are not simply customers. They are members of the same communities where Mark Williams Auto Group employees live, raise families, volunteer, and spend their time.

That creates a natural connection between the organization and the causes it supports.

Being community driven means recognizing that success is about more than business performance. It is also about how an organization contributes to the place it calls home.

Celebrating Families

Perhaps the most powerful part of the Cincinnati Buddy Walk was the opportunity to celebrate families.

Every family has its own experiences, challenges, milestones, and victories. Events like this create an opportunity for families to celebrate those moments together while connecting with others.

There is something meaningful about seeing people gather not because they have the same story, but because they share a desire to support one another.

That sense of connection is one of the reasons community events remain so important.

They create conversations.

They create relationships.

And sometimes, they simply create a place where someone feels understood.

Turning Support into Action

Supporting a cause does not have to look the same for everyone.

For one person, it might be volunteering time. For another, it might be contributing. Someone else might attend an event, share information, or encourage a friend to become involved.

The important part is taking action.

Mark Williams Auto Group believes in finding ways to support organizations that are making a positive impact locally. The Cincinnati Buddy Walk provided an opportunity to do exactly that while supporting Empath for Autism and the families connected to its mission.

It was a meaningful day of participation, awareness, and community.

Continuing the Conversation

The Buddy Walk may be a single event on the calendar, but autism awareness and inclusion are important throughout the year.

Creating a more understanding community starts with conversations and continues through everyday actions.

It can mean learning more about autism. It can mean listening to families. It can mean supporting local organizations. And it can mean making an effort to ensure that community spaces are welcoming to everyone.

Those efforts matter.

Mark Williams Auto Group is proud to be part of a Cincinnati community that continues to come together in support of meaningful causes.

Supporting Empath for Autism and the Cincinnati Buddy Walk was one more opportunity to demonstrate what it means to be family owned, community driven, and customer focused.

Because when we walk together, we can create awareness, build connection, and remind one another that everyone deserves a place in the community.

Most recently, our team joined forces with the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati, an organization that provides housing and meals to families with children undergoing treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Volunteers including Jeff Fithen, Ken Haynes, Josh Williams, Charlie Watson, David Godbey, and Bob Galvin spent the day preparing and serving meals for 171 families, followed by cleaning and resetting the dining areas for the next group.

Giving Back Together

The Kindness Project is about more than community service, it’s about connection. Whether it’s hosting local drives, supporting schools, or cooking meals for families in need, we believe that consistent acts of compassion create lasting change. Every event reminds us that our reach extends beyond our showrooms.

Why Ronald McDonald House Matters

Families staying at the Ronald McDonald House face tremendous challenges while caring for hospitalized children. By offering them a home-cooked meal and a comfortable place to stay, volunteers help lift some of that weight and provide moments of peace and normalcy.

Continuing the Journey

Our day at the Ronald McDonald House was both moving and motivating. It reinforced the belief that kindness grows stronger when shared. We look forward to continuing this mission through the Kindness Project, expanding our partnerships, and finding new ways to serve our neighbors.

Because for us, kindness isn’t just something we do it’s who we are.

Each dealership aimed to contribute at least 400 pounds of food to their local food bank, and we’ve chosen to support IPM Food Pantry, a staple in our community for 60 years. What started with four local churches has grown into a vital organization that continues to serve families throughout the region.

Here at Queen City Ford, we were honored to join in the fight! From peanut butter to pasta, every donation helps put meals on the table for a family right here in our neighborhood.

Together, across our area, we were able to collect non-perishable items to support families in need in our own communities. Every donation mattered from one can to a packed truck, and we’re honored to help drive positive change.