Ford Philanthropy: Driving Progress Through Longstanding Partnerships

By Ford Philanthropy and Ford Archives Teams

This September marks a significant milestone: 75 years of strengthening communities and helping build a better world through Ford Philanthropy (formerly Ford Motor Company Fund).

Among the nonprofits and community organizations receiving some of the company’s earliest support are three organizations that remain key partners of Ford Philanthropy today.

The American Red Cross

During World War I, Ford worked with the U.S. Surgeon General’s office to design a Model T-based ambulance ideal for battlefield conditions that were used by the American Red Cross and other organizations during the war. During World War II, Ford partnered with the American Red Cross to host blood drives and provide vehicles to the American Red Cross Motor Corp. – a group of women volunteers who visited and transported wounded or sick soldiers and delivered blood, food and supplies to airstrips for overseas transport.

American Red Cross received one of the philanthropy’s first contributions when it was established in 1949. Through the years, we have hosted employee blood drives at Ford plants and offices across Southeast Michigan, supported relief and rebuilding efforts for hundreds of natural disasters and have been a longtime member of the American Red Cross Disaster Giving Program.

The United Way

Another nonprofit Ford Philanthropy supported in its first year of operation was the United Foundation, a precursor to the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. This 75-year partnership began when Ford helped organize the nonprofit’s first Detroit fundraising campaign in 1949. In addition to giving as a corporation, Ford President and CEO Henry Ford II and UAW President Walter Reuther encouraged employees to invest in their communities and created the first payroll deduction program – a now common practice that businesses use to allow employees to make charitable donations to nonprofits. Throughout the past seven decades, Ford employees and Ford Philanthropy have contributed more than $500 million to assist communities where our employees live and work.

Henry Ford II speaking at United Fund Torch Lighting ceremony in 1951

United Way backpack distribution in Detroit

Disabled American Veterans

Ford and Ford Philanthropy recently celebrated 100 years of partnership with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), which first began in 1922 when Henry Ford organized a cross-country caravan of 50 Model T Fords to take veterans with disabilities to the DAV national convention in San Francisco. Throughout the last century, we have provided scholarships, funded sports rehabilitation programs for veterans with disabilities, donated 269 vehicles to the DAV Transportation Network and supported free transportation to and from medical appointments for more than 19.9 million veterans.