Poul Due Jensen, Group President and CEO of Grundfos, traveled from Denmark to Fresno on October 8 to present a gift to Fresno Mission. Joined by members of Grundfos team locally and stateside, he gathered with Mission leaders on the CalViva Health Soccer Field at City Center, then toured the campus to see firsthand what God is doing through the Mission.
“Thank you so much for your commitment to us,” Fresno Mission CEO Matt Dildine told the Grundfos team. “We’re excited to show you around the Fresno Mission and what infrastructure for good looks like.”
This year, Fresno Mission has embraced the theme of Beloved Community, and Matt often explains it with a grove of aspen trees in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest. What looks like a forest of 47,000 separate trees across 107 acres is actually one of the largest living organisms on earth, joined by a single root system. When one part is damaged by fire, the rest sends nutrients to help it heal.
For Fresno Mission, that root system is Jesus Christ, connecting staff, partners, donors and the people the Mission serves. The generosity of Grundfos becomes part of that shared life, making room for staff to be burden carriers, not just burden fixers, so that no one walks through crisis alone.
For Mr. Jensen, Fresno Mission’s work echoes his own family’s story. His grandfather, who founded Grundfos in Denmark in 1945, lost both of his parents and spent his early years in an orphanage before building the company one pump at a time.
“Thank you for the opportunity to see how Fresno Mission provides security, safety and belonging to people in need,” Jensen said.
“This is more than just a shelter, and I’m glad I can bring our values and support from Grundfos.”
“It is admirable what Fresno Mission is doing,” he added. “It’s a great honor to present this check, and I think with this partnership we are really going to make a difference. That’s what it’s really all about. Together we can do it.” He closed with words of thanks of his own: “A big congratulations, and thank you for the collaboration that allows us to help Fresno Mission with our shared values.”
Fresno Mission is deeply grateful to Mr. Jensen and the Grundfos team for this generous gift. And to every donor who gives, from global companies to neighbors down the street: thank you.
