Toyota builds cars and hope in community

Toyota not only makes new car owners happy, but also their employees.

Local Toyota workers are getting the chance to get their hands dirty in their community through volunteer work.

One of their projects is painting the walls at Discovery Middle School in Madison.

Derrick Martin, who has worked for the Quality Control Lab for Toyota in Huntsville since 2003, said that he is happy to help the community.

“I have young kids in the school system and wanted to come out and help in any way I can,” Martin said.

Martin said that production is slow at Toyota due to the recent tsunamis in Japan.

“Instead of them laying us off or sending us home, they give us an opportunity to come out in the public and volunteer helping the community,” Martin said.

The workers bring their skills from the job and some they’ve learned throughout their life.

“The workers have a choice of where to go and what type of work they will be doing,” Martin said. “We have about 1,000 team members so it’s a large scale of abilities.”

Martin said that the companies he’s worked for in the past have not treated their workers this way.

“Most companies won’t allow you to work if there isn’t work available, but Toyota is different,” Martin said. “I love working with them.”

Martin said that the volunteers are still getting paid to do the work and are receiving benefits from the company.

Martin said the Toyota workers are spread all across North Alabama and have been since the recent tornado disaster.

“I’m thankful having a job working for Toyota and an opportunity to do this,” Martin said.