FORD VOLUNTEER CORPS GOES TO WORK FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES ON ACCELERATED ACTION DAY

• The Ford Volunteer Corps is showing its appreciation to members of the military and their families with a special Ford Accelerated Action Day focused on their needs.
• This is the first Ford Accelerated Action Day dedicated exclusively to veterans and their families.
• Ford Accelerated Action Days address the urgent needs of our agency partners by focusing MODEL Teams of volunteers on community service projects demanding swift action.

DEARBORN, Mich., November 10 – The Ford Volunteer Corps has enlisted employees and retirees for a special Ford Accelerated Action Day dedicated to serving the needs of veterans and military families.

MODEL Teams of Ford volunteers are painting, making repairs and brightening the lives of people at veterans facilities in southeast Michigan and Washington, D.C. The Ford volunteers are showing their support for the volunteer soldiers, sailors and airmen and women who go to work each day in defense of our country.

"The men and women of the armed forces defend our freedom each and every day, a gift we do not take lightly," said Janet Lawson, director, Ford Volunteer Corps. "We want to thank our veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice, but more than that, our volunteers want to give something back to those who have given so much for us."

The veterans organizations benefiting from today’s volunteer effort also receive mini-grants of $5,000 from Ford to buy the tools, supplies and materials needed to complete their projects. Mini-grants totaling $25,000 have been awarded to the following:

• Fisher House, Washington, D.C. – Ford volunteers will clean kitchens, bedrooms and common areas at this "home away from home" for wounded soldiers. Volunteers will also pack lunches for veterans to take with them to offsite therapy and medical appointments.
• Gleaners Community Food Bank, Detroit – MODEL Teams of volunteers will assemble more than 500 food packs for distribution to needy veterans.
• VA Hospital of Ann Arbor – Ford volunteers will serve meals to veterans and their families during a day of activities in observance of Veterans Day. Hundreds of duffel bags will also be distributed to veterans to carry their personal belongings.
• VA Hospital of Detroit – Ford MODEL Teams will serve food during a daylong event to mark Veterans Day and volunteers also will help with in-house transportation of patients. Grant money also will be used to purchase holiday decorations to lift spirits and speed recovery of patients.
• Veterans Haven, Wayne – Ford volunteers will paint, make bathroom repairs and install new flooring at the group home and apartments. The residences are part of the transitional housing program which gives homeless veterans a safe place to stay while they work to rebuild their lives.

Ford has employed thousands of veterans over the years, guaranteeing their jobs and supplementing the military pay of many while they are on active duty in war zones. In 1922, Henry Ford began a relationship with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) that continues to this day. In recent years, Ford has donated more than 130 vehicles to the DAV Transportation Network, and also contributes to scholarships and DAV programs such as the Winter Sports Clinic.

"Ford Motor Company has always been a strong supporter of America’s armed forces and the people who serve – and always will be," said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our servicemen and women around the world and Ford volunteers believe their contribution is one small way to say thanks."

This is the fourth Ford Accelerated Action Day in 2009. In March, we addressed the needs of children and families. We focused on the environment in May and community building projects in September during Ford Global Week of Caring. The final Ford Accelerated Action Day of the year is December 4 when we will help feed the hungry under the theme of Giving and Sharing.

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 withacademically rigorous21st 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.

November 10, 2009