In October 2020, as part of the "Forest Wooden Building Block Project", Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) donated wooden building blocks in a car-shaped container made of Japanese cypress taken from forest thinnings to kindergartens and nursery schools nearby its business sites in Japan.
The "Forest Wooden Building Block Project" has been funded by the "Mitsubishi Motors STEP Funds" (through which MMC Group employees can donate fixed sums voluntarily) and the "Matching Gift Program" (through which MMC also matches donations made by the Mitsubishi Motors STEP Funds). This is the activity to donate wooden building blocks made of Japanese cypress taken from forest thinnings in Yamanashi Prefecture, mainly in Hayakawa-cho (the location of a forest where we conduct preservation activities) to kindergartens and nursery schools.
Normally, every year we visited kindergartens and nursery schools to donate the blocks directly. However, this year, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we refrained from visiting and instead sent sets of the blocks directly from Yamanashi Prefecture to 25 kindergartens and nursery schools.
On the building block containers, we have attached a plate indicating the "STEP to the Future" logo created in April 2020 to communicate MMC social contribution activities.
■ Feedback from the donation recipients
- The children shouted with delight as they found one after another from the gift box – a building block container filled with the blocks in various shapes and sizes. All the children looked so happy. They immediately started to play with the blocks, connecting and stacking them. "Look! It looks like a castle!" The playroom was filled with their joyful voices.
- We have informed the parents about your building block donation. We will use the blocks with the children with good care. Thank you very much.
- We noticed the nice scent given off from the blocks made of natural cypress. The blocks are light and have rounded corners, so we can use them safely without worry. We really appreciate your donation of the Forest Wooden Building Blocks.
■ Mitsubishi Motors STEP Funds