ADVISORY/Ford Blue Oval Certified Dealers, Jamie Lee Curtis and National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Launch National `'Commitment to Kids Campaign''

    NEW YORK--April 12, 2001--Ford Blue Oval Certified dealers are teaming up with actress and best-selling children's author Jamie Lee Curtis and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in a nationwide effort to keep kids safe -- through an I.D. and thumbprinting campaign.
    Starting May 25 -- National Missing Children's Day -- Blue Oval Certified dealers nationwide are providing free I.D. kits to children of all ages in the "Commitment to Kids" campaign.
    The FBI estimates that approximately 85 to 90% of missing persons are juveniles. Last year about 750,000 juveniles were reported missing, which averages out to 2,100 missing kids each day

VISUALS:   Ford and Jamie Lee Curtis kick off the "Commitment to Kids"
           campaign from the New York Auto Show Thursday, April 12. 
           B-roll includes:

           --  Thumbprinting kids at the New York Auto Show

           --  Soundbites from Jim O'Connor, president of Ford
               Division and Ford Motor Co. vice president; Jamie Lee
               Curtis; John Walsh, founder of NCMEC; Ernie Allen,
               NCMEC president and CEO; Abby Potash, parent whose
               missing son was found through NCMEC

           --  Behind-the-scenes footage of the "Commitment to Kids"
               PSA shoot featuring Jamie Lee Curtis

           --  The NCMEC's computer database of missing children;
               computerized age-enhancement capabilities; cyber
               tipline online reporting form

WHEN:      Thursday, April 12, 8:30 a.m. ET at the Ford Booth, Level 3

           Satellite B-roll Feed No.1: 1300-1315 (ET)
           (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) Telstar 6C/9 Downlink Freq: Vertical 
           down 3880

           Satellite B-roll Feed No.2: 1600-1615 (ET) 
           (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT) Telstar 5C/16 Downlink Freq: Horiz 
           down 4020

           Audio for both feeds is 6.2, 6.8 MHZ

CONTACTS:  Susan Krusel 
           Ford Motor Co. 
           Pager: 888/467-3673

           Kristin Scheithauer
           Hill and Knowlton
           949/223-2326

NOTE: Media members who need press credentials should proceed to the
Jacob Javits Convention Center, Media Center, Lower Level, where Ford
representatives will be outside room C103.