October 3, 2019

Some people call it corporate social responsibility. We call it giving back to our community.

After a long period of post-industrial decline, Albion is bouncing back, attracting new businesses and residents to its downtown. Where once empty storefronts lined empty streets, new businesses are filled with customers and new apartments are attracting new residents. A new hotel, a reopened movie theater, a brewery, a bakery, and other businesses are pulling people and businesses into our downtown. Once empty, our downtown is now vibrant and filled with new life and energy. 

This didn’t happen on its own. It was through the combined efforts of civic organizations, private businesses and City government that the City so dramatically reversed its decline.

What does this have to do with us?

A lot as it turns out. Our employees live here. Some of them have families with children who will grow up here and attend our schools. A strong Albion attracts new businesses and residents. New business owners provide more jobs and opportunities for our young people, who can in turn stay and raise their own families here. Housing in our downtown area means streets that were once empty after dark are thriving with new life and vitality, attracting even more businesses and residents.

This benefits us in several ways. Our employees want to stay here and new employees want to move here. There are more opportunities for our employees and their families to participate in the City’s civic life. There are educational opportunities and jobs for their children.

As a responsible corporate citizen of Albion, we are actively supporting the City’s rebirth and renaissance in many ways:

• We are supporting revitalization by infusing donations from events like Run Albion back into local non-profits to help them succeed
• We are supporting educational programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through INNOVATE Albion.
• We sponsor special events like concerts and festivals in the City that improve the quality of life here in Albion for our employees and the City at large
• We encourage our employees to be involved in the community, through initiatives organized by Caster Cares™ as well as through civic, religious and charitable organizations

Under the Caster Cares™ umbrella, we will continue these activities and introduce new initiatives to improve the quality of life and economic health of our community. We do it to build a better Albion that attracts and grows new businesses, attracts new residents while keeping existing residents here, and offers a lifestyle and quality of life unlike any other city in Michigan.

Involvement in our community has been one of our core values since Dick Dobbins founded Caster Concepts in 1987. Dick believed in giving back to Albion, a city that has given so much to our company. Now Dick’s son Bill runs the company and continues his father’s commitment to civic engagement and offering a helping hand.