Ford's charitable arm, the Ford Fund, has announced a raft of measures to help those fighting back the COVID-19 pandemic across the world.
Half a million in donation matching
The COVID-19 Donation Match programme is a combined effort between Ford Fund and Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford that will match USD$500,000 in donations to designated community organisations in the fight against COVID-19, raising a potential USD$1 million for groups battling the pandemic across the globe. In Europe, funds are being raised to support a wide range of organisations in Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain, Turkey and the UK.
There's also a new 'Read And Record' project in which those Ford employees who are staying at home right now can record themselves reading children's books for kids who are being affected by school closures around the world. The effort is designed to provide Ford employees a way to give back from the safety and comfort of their own homes and builds on Ford Fund's ongoing efforts to increase literacy and promote a love of reading. The online library will be catalogued by language, and multilingual employees are encouraged to read in languages other than English. Ford Fund plans to share the library with philanthropic groups that serve children and families.
"During trying times, Ford employees are used to being the boots on the ground - getting out, signing up and pitching in to help make a difference," said Mary Culler, president, Ford Motor Company Fund. "Even now, while many are sheltering in place at home, our employees are looking for ways to help. These two new programmes offer meaningful ways for employees to give back and join in the fight against COVID-19."
Providing disaster relief across Europe
The Ford Fund is working with GlobalGiving, the Blue Oval's longtime disaster relief and global grant-making partner, the programme aims to support community projects in locations that have both a significant level of emergency need and a substantial Ford employee presence. Projects focus on addressing hunger, shelter and mobility needs, providing educational resources, or delivering critical medical supplies and services to communities in need.
In the UK, the Fund is working with the St. Mungo's association to help find shelter and medical care for homeless people. In Germany, the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) is providing food and essential supplies from toiletries to medicine to the elderly and those in quarantine at home.
In Italy, the Ford Fund is working with Mission Bambini to provide IT services and devices to families who can't afford them, to ensure that their kids can keep learning while on lockdown. In Romania, the Asociatia Club Rotary Craiova Probitas is helping to distribute testing kits and protective equipment. In Spain, the Asociacion Apadrina La Ciencia is investigating treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.
The USD$500,000 to match any employee donations is coming from both the Ford Fund and personal cash provided by Bill Ford Jnr. "Now more than ever, we need your help to ensure those sleeping rough and those in homelessness services are not forgotten and have somewhere safe to stay and to self-isolate to protect them from the coronavirus," said Jay Hunt, St Mungo's. "Whilst this unprecedented situation continues our dedicated colleagues will continue to support and care for those who need our help. We can only provide these vital services with your help."
Funds to help find a vaccine
"While healthcare professionals are making enormous efforts to treat the sick and ill, scientists work against the clock to find innovative treatments against this coronavirus and a vaccine to prevent future infections. Donations will help us to make progress to defeat COVID-19," said Inés Antón, co-founder of Apadrina La Ciencia.
Ford Fund previously announced it is allocating more than USD$1.6 million in resources to help communities and local nonprofits throughout Southeast Michigan and across the United States address hunger, shelter and mobility needs related to COVID-19. Earlier this year, Ford Fund also worked with Ford of China to provide face masks and other protective gear needed during the initial breakout of the virus in China.