DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
- Ford Motor Company Fund announces $1
million pledge over two years to American Red Cross for
disaster relief and career training for veterans and family
members
- Through this grant, 200 veterans, those soon to leave military
service, or their family members will receive scholarships for free
training for a career in health care
- Healthcare Scholarships are available to military families in
Detroit, Atlanta, Washington,
D.C., Nashville, Tenn. and
Louisville, Ky.
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 longstanding 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 percent," 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.
About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community
Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community
Services works with community partners to advance driving safety,
education and community life. For more than 60 years, Ford Motor
Company Fund has operated with ongoing funding from Ford Motor
Company (NYSE: F). The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for
Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and
interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through
national programs that enhance high school learning and provide
college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford
Volunteer Corps, 25,000 Ford employees and dealers work on projects
each year that better their communities in more than 20 countries.
For more information, visit www.community.ford.com.
About American Red Cross
The American Red
Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of
disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches
skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid;
and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is
a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the
generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more
information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at
http://blog.redcross.org.
SOURCE Ford Motor Company