• Ford Motor Company Fund launches the expansion of Ford Driving Dreams program in Mexico to promote academic success, literacy, and donation of new books   
• Ford delivers more than $350,000 in educational resources and scholarships, in collaboration with Ford Dealers Civic Committee for students at Ford schools  

• Launch of Ford Driving Dreams in Mexico is part of Ford Fund’s strategic global expansion in Latin America including Panama and Puerto Rico  

Mexico City, Mexico, January 23, 2018 – Ford Motor Company Fund is launching its signature educational program for Hispanic youth, Ford Driving Dreams (FDD), in Mexico. Ford Fund, in collaboration with the Ford Dealers Civic Committee and United Way Mexico will host two days of educational activities for students from Ford school #89 “Ricardo Flores Magón”.  Students from Ford’s public schools in the city of Tlalnepantla de Baz will also participate in the Ford Driving Dreams activities.

The collaboration will increase Ford’s investment to more than $350,000 in scholarships, new book donations, coding activities, and motivational activities designed to help students achieve academic success. Ford Fund is the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company.

“Helping to make people’s lives better depends in great part on providing students with the tools and resources to help them succeed. We are proud to bring the Ford Driving Dreams Tour to Mexico and inspire children to stay in school by giving them access to opportunities, scholarships and resources,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.

The Ford Dealers Civic Committee, founded more than 50 years ago, develops social responsibility strategies for Mexico’s most vulnerable communities. The committee created and built Ford schools to support elementary education. They operate 193 Ford schools that have an enrollment of 80,000 students, and offer parental engagement programs, and training for more than 5,000 teachers, directors, and alumni. The Ford schools have graduated 1,600,000 students.

The first day of Ford’s Driving Dreams program includes a literacy activities and book donation at Ford School 89, Ricardo Flores Magon, for more than 400 first through sixth grade students who will participate in exercises to encourage the love of reading, computer coding activities, and storytelling of La Piñata Magica by volunteer Ford Civic Committee executives.  

On the second day, a motivational rally will inspire 500 sixth grade students from seven Ford schools, to excel academically and continue their education. Students are also invited to participate in the “What Drives Your Dreams?” essay contest to compete for scholarships and share their future aspirations through a video challenge. The three-year scholarships will to help students and their families defray the costs of tuition in private middle schools, supplies, transportation, and other basic needs that often keep students from finishing the school year and moving on to the next grade level. The scholarships will be administered by United Way Mexico. Motivational speaker, Daniel Habif and students from the RobotiX school, who won first place at a NASA contest, will share their inspiring stories.

“This is a very important and exciting opportunity for our students,” said Gabriel López, President y CEO, Ford Mexico. “I am grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with Ford Fund, Ford Dealers Civic Committee, and United Way Mexico to make a difference in the lives of our young people.”

The Ford Driving Dreams Tour was designed by Ford Motor Company Fund in 2012 to help students graduate on time and pursue higher education. Since its launch, the program has reached more than 100,000 students in California, Chicago, Florida, Indiana, Panama, Puerto Rico and Texas. Ford Driving Dreams initiatives have delivered close to $5 million in educational resources such as scholarships, college preparedness, tutoring programs, parental engagement and literacy activities.

Ford Driving Dreams’ work in Mexico is part of Ford’s Operation Better World, a strategic global philanthropic effort that supports communities where we do business.  By working collaboratively with dealers and other groups, Ford Fund drives sustainable community innovation through local investments. Ford Fund now supports Operation Better World programs in more than 30 countries.

In addition to Ford Driving Dreams, and the creation of public schools, Ford also supports other initiatives in Mexico including Achieve 3000, Ford Driving Skills for Life, Latin GRAMMY in the Schools, and disaster relief and recovery efforts for the September 2017 earthquake in southern and central Mexico. Ford Fund contributed $200,000 to the United Way in Mexico (Fondo Unido Mexico) and matched employee donations to the Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund, up $50,000. Our Ford Mexico and Dealers Civic Committee is also providing $200,000 in support to United Way Mexico toward rebuilding Ford Schools. Potential Ford contributions of $500,000 will help disaster relief teams in Mexico advance recovery efforts.

In 2017, the Bill Ford Better World Challenge granted $60,000 to build a community center, as well as provide water filters, breakfast, and services such as tutoring to hundreds of families in Guayacan, Mexico, near Hermosillo. The challenge was launched by the Ford Fund and Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, in 2015.