• Ford is a member of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program and has donated five new Transit vans to the Red Cross fleet
• The Ford Transit vans are being used as emergency response and lifesaving blood transport vehicles in Detroit, Michigan; Lexington, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky; Cleveland, Ohio; and Portland, Oregon
• Ford and the Red Cross have worked together for more than 30 years and Ford provides support across all segments of the Red Cross mission  

Ford Motor Company Fund has donated five Ford Transit vans to the American Red Cross, building on more than 30 years of jointly supporting disaster relief.  

The new Ford Transit high-roof vans with 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engines were delivered to five locations in the U.S. – Detroit, Michigan; Lexington, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky; Cleveland, Ohio; and Portland, Oregon.

Each year, the Red Cross responds to approximately 70,000 disasters of all sizes, from single-family house fires to widespread weather damage from tornadoes and hurricanes. Ford Transit – America’s best-selling commercial van – joins the Red Cross fleet of emergency vehicles that are ready to respond at a moment’s notice.   

“The American Red Cross is often first on the scene to assist those in need, and these Ford Transit vehicles play an important role in helping them deliver food, water and medical supplies as quickly as possible,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “People count on the Red Cross when disaster strikes and the Red Cross knows it can count on Ford.”

Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford, have contributed more than $3 million to support the Red Cross mission during the last five years. As a member of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, Ford pledges support in advance of major disasters, ensuring that the Red Cross is prepared to respond immediately to emergencies.

Ford provides assistance to all five lines of service within the Red Cross: Disaster Relief, Health and Safety Training and Education, Service to the Armed Forces, International Services and Lifesaving Blood Services.

As part of the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces program, Ford Fund has provided more than 400 Ford Blue Oval Scholarships to veterans and their families to receive certified nurse-assistant training for careers in health care. Ford also provides funding for emergency preparedness youth education programs. In 2014, Ford hosted 133 blood drives and Ford employee blood donations helped save nearly 15,000 lives.