Ford Motor Company is not only dedicated to producing reliable, comfortable vehicles that are fun to drive, the company is also dedicated to supporting local communities and the youth that represent the next generation of the nation’s workforce. Ford showed this dedication by giving more than $280,000 to programs supporting youth in Detroit, Michigan.
This past May, the Ford Fund presented Detroit Mayor Dave Bing with a $250,000 grant benefitting the Youth Employment Program, a six-week summer program that offers work experience for young people ages 14 to 21. The program offers work-readiness training and hands-on job experience that is designed to prepare young people for work in the real world.
“Today’s announcement comes at a time when teen unemployment in cities like Detroit is at its highest level in decades,” said Mayor Bing. “Ford is to be congratulated for its ongoing commitment to the youth in the city of Detroit.”
Ford donated a total of $284,000 to support young people in Detroit through a variety of programs:
- $250,000 to the city’s Youth Employment Program
- $10,000 in savings bonds awarded to the five winners of the Ford Freedom Award essay contest; the winning essays were chosen from more than 1,900 student entries.
- $24,000 scholarship to a Detroit high school student as part of the Ford-Detroit Free Press Journalism Program
“Ford Motor Company has been committed to investing in the youth of our community for more than a century,” stated Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Our commitment has been unwavering.”
Ford is dedicated to giving local youth opportunities to expand their experience and prepare for the real world. The brand continues to be a driving force in the success of this generation and the next.
