- The Ford Volunteer Corps is hammering down community building projects in the U.S. with an Accelerated Action Day focused on renovation and repair activities.
- More than 700 Ford employee and retiree volunteers are taking part in dozens of projects across the country to improve people's lives and help create a better world.
- This Accelerated Action Day anchors the fourth annual Ford Global Week of Caring, a worldwide effort by more than 8,000 Ford volunteers to help people in 42 countries.
DEARBORN, Mich., September 11 – Global Week of Caring picks up speed on Ford Accelerated Action Day, as more than 700 Ford employee and retiree volunteers in the U.S. join thousands of their colleagues around the world to work on community building projects.
MODEL Teams of Ford volunteers in 15 states are repairing and renovating, painting, planting and assembling at shelters, missions and homes for children. They are performing urgent tasks identified by our agency partners to benefit as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.
This Ford Accelerated Action Day is an important part of Ford's fourth annual Global Week of Caring, a worldwide effort enlisting Ford volunteers from North and South America to Africa, Asia and Australia. More than 8,000 Ford employees and retirees are working on over 200 projects across six continents. In the U.S., Accelerated Action Day activities are taking place from California to Florida, Ohio, Texas and Tennessee to name just a few of the places where Ford employees are stepping up to help in their local communities. "Our volunteers make a world of difference when we come together as One Ford and provide a helping hand to people in need during these difficult economic times," said Janet Lawson, director, Ford Volunteer Corps. "Our employees and retirees are energized and committed to using their collective volunteer muscle to help create a better world."
Many of the organizations benefiting from today's volunteer effort also receive mini-grants of up to $5,000 from Ford to buy the tools, supplies and materials needed to complete their projects. More than $50,000 in mini-grants was awarded to nonprofit agencies, including:
- Alternatives for Girls, Detroit – Assemble picnic tables and plant shade trees
- Arbor Hospice, Ann Arbor – Construct play structure and benches in the Children's Garden
- Community Living Centers, Farmington – Build storage sheds for group home residents
- Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, Detroit – Build bunk beds for homeless shelter
- Gilda's Club Metro Detroit, Royal Oak – Paint wrap-around porch for visitors touched by cancer
- Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley, Ypsilanti – Install flooring & exterior siding at home
- Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County, Monroe – Build delivery platform at recycle center
- Liberty Hill Housing Corporation, Romulus – Rehabilitate single family home and spruce up yard
- LSSM – Wayne County Family Center, Westland – Rehab play area and plant privacy screen
- Methodist Children's Home Society, Redford – Improve ball diamond/bleachers, build big sand box
- Penrickton Center for Blind Children, Taylor – Paint, lay new sod and install privacy fence
- Ruth Ellis Center, Highland Park – Paint drop–in center
- The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Detroit – Paint halls, stairways and common areas
- Veteran's Haven, Wayne – Paint fence and porch
- Vista Maria, Dearborn Heights – Build a new patio for residents
This is the third Ford Accelerated Action Day in 2009. In March, we addressed the needs of children and families. In May, we focused on the environment and outdoor projects. On November 10, we will turn our attention to veterans and their families in a special Accelerated Action Day before ending the year in December under the theme Giving and Sharing.
"Ford is building for the future with innovative new vehicles that feature cutting-edge technology," said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "At the same time, we remain true to our roots and more than 100 years of community service. This current generation of Ford employees and retirees is proud to write the next chapter of corporate responsibility by carrying on the company's long legacy of caring."
Ford Motor Company encourages salaried employees to take two work days per year and volunteer in their local area. Last year, more than 20,000 Ford employees and retirees performed 100,000 hours of work on community projects – the equivalent of $2 million of in-kind corporate contributions.
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About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the communities where Ford operates. Established in 1949 and made possible by funding from Ford Motor Company, Ford Motor Company Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education, auto–related safety, and American heritage and legacy. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen–focused auto safety initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues Ford's legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, Ford employees and retirees participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.community.ford.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.