Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn is launching Ford Building Together, a new initiative that brings the power of Ford and its national dealer network to support the work of four nonprofits — American Red Cross, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, and Team Rubicon.
The announcement was made this morning at Michigan Central Station in Detroit.
“When we say the ‘power of Ford’ we don’t mean simply writing checks,” says Elena Ford, chief customer experience officer at Ford. “For the first time, we will be enhancing our philanthropic giving by working alongside our expansive dealer network in communities across the country, sharing the skills and expertise of our employees through volunteering, and lending our technology and vehicles to scale the services of our nonprofit partners.”
Starting this month, Ford says it’s coordinating with its dealers to support nonprofit partners through in-dealership activations. The automaker is inviting customers and the community to join by donating blood in support of the American Red Cross, giving food for local food banks in Feeding America’s network, dropping off gently used tools and materials for Habitat ReStores, and preparing for wildfires and hurricanes by attending a free preparedness workshop led by Team Rubicon.
As part of Ford Building Together, the company will support local communities through:
Partnering with Expert Nonprofit Organizations: Ford Philanthropy has built strong relationships with these key partners by providing them with grants to support critical community needs and additional support, allowing them to expand operations.
Working With Its Dealer Network: Dealers are in every community across the country. With their help, Ford will support nonprofit partners by hosting local activations at dealerships, including storm preparedness sessions, blood drives, and food-and-material collections.
Sharing the Skills and Expertise of Ford Employees Through Volunteerism: The company is increasing its volunteer paid time off policy to encourage Ford employees to lend their skills and expertise to four nonprofit partners for extended periods of time. This builds on the Ford Volunteer Corps’ 20-year legacy.
Lending Vehicles and Technologies in Times of Need: An expanded loaner vehicle program will allow the automaker’s nonprofit partners to scale and strengthen their services – especially during a crisis when communities lose power and infrastructure is impacted.
Spotlighting the Impact of Nonprofit Partners: Ford says it will bring visibility to the work the nonprofits do and what more communities need through our outreach and communications channels.
The automaker says the work builds on Ford’s “long and proud” history of partnering with nonprofits, a legacy over a century old that includes such support as working with the American Red Cross since WW I, producing PPE and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic, and teaming with dealers for disaster relief following the devastation of Hurricanes Milton and Helene, and the California wildfires.
