Ford Motor Company Fund pledges $1-million to American Red Cross

Ford Motor Company Fund is pledging $1-million to the American Red Cross for workplace development training for veterans, military members and their families, as well as to disaster relief through the Red Cross Disaster Responder program.

In this two-year commitment,
Ford's long-standing support of the American Red Cross is being expanded with 200 Blue Oval Scholarships for nurse assistant training in the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces program. These scholarships will enable veterans, or those soon to leave military service, and their families to receive training for careers in the health field in five cities - Detroit, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Tenn. and Louisville, Ky. All are cities in Ford's Operation Goodwill program.

The Red Cross nurse assistant training program equips trainees to achieve state-level certification as nurse assistants and obtain sustainable and competitive employment. The program provides job development and work readiness resources as well as help for graduates to find employment.

"Ford's support allows us to extend our nurse assistant training program in five areas of the country and helps us serve a larger number of service members and their families," said Lynn Crabb, Senior Director of Policy and Programs, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces.

"Recent government data show unemployment among post-9/11 veterans is at 9.7 per cent," said Jim Vella, President, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "This expansion of our Red Cross partnership provides deserving veterans and their family members the chance to build new careers in the nursing field, which is a win-win-win for them, the Red Cross and our communities."

This support builds on $50,000 in Ford grants in the past two years for the southeastern Michigan region health care career training program and disaster services programs.

As part of this partnership, Ford also is joining the Red Cross Disaster Responder program and pledges donations on an ongoing basis in advance of major disasters, which helps the Red Cross ensure an immediate response to meet the needs of those affected by disasters of all sizes, at no cost and regardless of income.

In addition, Ford Motor Company is donating two Transit Connect vans to support crisis response in Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Posted in: American Red Cross,Blue Oval Scholarships,Charity,Ford,Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services,International,Jim Vella,Lynn Crabb,Miami,Puerto Rico,Red Cross Disaster Responder Program,San Juan