Bill Ford, executive chair of the company his great-grandfather founded, announced Tuesday that the Ford Fund is launching a $5.8 million investment devoted to disaster relief efforts to aid communities stricken by tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires.
This is all part of a five-year partnership between the philanthropic arm of the automaker and Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization in the U.S., that includes $2.5 million in new cash to the nonprofit’s reserve fund plus 10 Ford F-150 Hybrid trucks, three Ford F-150 Lightning trucks, two Ford Super Duty trucks and two Ford Bronco SUVs.
Bill Ford co-hosted a late morning event at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, along with Mary Culler, president of the Ford Fund, and Art delaCruz, Team Rubicon CEO and a retired U.S. Naval officer, celebrating the long-term commitment and Ford employees who volunteer when needed.
“At the heart of Ford is our commitment to help out our communities in times of need,” Ford said in a news release. “The reality is weather-related disasters in the U.S. are becoming more frequent and more severe. That is why we are significantly expanding our relationship with Team Rubicon, donating a fleet of vehicles and deploying volunteers where they are needed most.”
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Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid.