To ensure we can lend a helping hand in the unfortunate event of a disaster, we provide disaster preparedness training to Ford Volunteer Corps members.
Our employees have donated millions of dollars and tens of thousands of volunteer hours to disaster relief and recovery efforts. Coming from diverse backgrounds, our volunteers can meet community needs in unique, culturally sensitive ways, which is critical in times of loss.
Connecting Employees with Volunteer Opportunities
Through our relationships with charitable nonprofit organizations, we develop safe, volunteer-appropriate disaster relief and recovery projects for our employees, retirees and union workers. We also look to identify opportunities for sharing of resources and information within the nonprofit community.
In times of disaster, we help connect our volunteers with nonprofit organizations. Through our website, employees can register their skill sets or create a volunteer resume. Using this database, Ford Volunteer Corps works with nonprofits to create new opportunities and direct volunteers to where their skills can be put to good use.
Emergency Preparedness Training
Working with nongovernmental and governmental agencies, the Ford Volunteer Corps provides emergency preparedness training to our employees. Salaried employees are able to attend disaster preparedness training through our corporate volunteer program.
During Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training sessions, Ford employees learn basic disaster response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. On completion of CERT training, employees are ready to volunteer in the event of an emergency.
Responding to the Indian Ocean Tsunami
After the devastating tsunami in 2004 that engulfed coastal regions in Southeast Asia and India and killed an estimated 230,000 people, Bill Ford launched the Ford Volunteer Corps to help with the relief efforts.
Working with Habitat for Humanity International, Ford volunteers began rebuilding efforts in two communities, helping construct temporary and permanent homes for tsunami survivors.
Hundreds of Ford employees have since made the grueling 14-hour bus trip to spend a week living and working with displaced families to help rebuild a fishing village, conduct children's summer camps and teach skilled trades to young people in the community. More than 25,000 volunteer hours have been donated to this effort.
Hurricane Katrina
Ford Motor Company, Ford Fund and employees donated more than $6.5 million to aid areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Efforts included donating 275 vehicles and sending a mobile command center unit to St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, to facilitate communications between various law enforcement agencies. The mobile command center also served as the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's office.
Some Ford volunteers donated their time working in the areas hardest hit by the hurricane, while others partnered with groups like Habitat for Humanity to help provide shelter to families impacted by the storm. In addition, more than 1,300 Ford volunteers staffed phones in 18 call centers throughout the United States to accept nearly $1.5 million in donations for the Salvation Army and American Red Cross hurricane relief efforts as part of a nationwide telethon. Ford was the only automotive company to participate.
In recognition of its efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Ford received a U.S. Chamber of Commerce award.
