Ford and Jamie Lee Curtis I.D. Los Angeles Kids

    LOS ANGELES, May 31 Ford Blue Oval Certified dealers and
award-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis, in partnership with the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), today bring a nationwide
child safety initiative to Los Angeles families.  The program, "Commitment to
Kids," aims to reduce the 2,100 children who are reported missing each day.
    In honor of National Missing Children's Week, Curtis and Ford executives
will help I.D. local children at Galpin Ford, the world's largest Ford dealer,
and one of the more than 1,500 Blue Oval Certified dealers taking part in the
"Commitment to Kids" program.
    "Blue Oval Certified is a breakthrough initiative that demonstrates our
dealers' commitment to customer satisfaction," said Jim O'Connor, president of
Ford Division and Ford Motor Company vice president.  "The 'Commitment to
Kids' program extends our dealers' commitment beyond customers to all parents
and children in the greater Los Angeles area."
    This month, local Ford Blue Oval Certified dealers participating in the
"Commitment to Kids" program are providing parents with free child safety I.D.
kits.
    A free photograph will be taken of each child for an I.D. kit and
instructions will be provided for parents to complete their child's physical
description information.  The I.D. kit and a set of fingerprints can help
ensure a child's safety in the event the child is ever reported missing.
Parents are urged to repeat the I.D. process every six months as children grow
to maintain updated information.
    "Taking part in this unprecedented effort to protect our nation's children
may be the single most important thing parents can do this year," said Jamie
Lee Curtis, mother of two children and author of several best-selling
children's books.  "Missing and exploited children is a serious issue that
could impact any one of us.  If we help to keep safe or locate even one
missing child, then this program will prove to be a success," Curtis
continued.
    According to FBI and NCMEC statistics, more than 750,000 children were
reported missing last year -- a total averaging 2,100 each day.  A national
survey issued this month by the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children and the direct mail company, ADVO, Inc., concluded that 34% of
parents do not know the exact weight, height and eye color for all of their
children -- key data to recovering a missing child.
    "Our status as a Blue Oval Certified dealership means that we are
personally committed to our customers, both in and out of the vehicle," said
Bert Boeckmann, owner and president of Galpin Ford, the world's largest Ford
dealer and one of the first dealers to achieve Blue Oval Certification.  "Our
employees are enthusiastic about taking an active role in the safety of our
community through the 'Commitment to Kids' program.  We are proud to be a part
of this special program."
    Ford Blue Oval Certified, the most comprehensive customer satisfaction
program in the auto industry, helps ensure that customers receive a
best-in-class retail experience at Ford dealerships.  Ford Blue Oval Certified
dealers must meet a stringent set of customer satisfaction criteria including
a Voice of the Customer Index as well as other sales, service, concern
resolution and technology requirements.
    More than 3,400 Ford dealers -- over 85 percent -- have achieved Blue Oval
Certification or are in the process of doing so.  Since launching the program,
Ford customers have indicated that they are more satisfied with their dealer
experiences.  Ford's customer viewpoint surveys show customer satisfaction for
2001 is up 5 percent, purchase satisfaction has increased more than 11 percent
and overall service satisfaction is up 2 percent.

    Galpin Ford is located at 15505 Roscoe Blvd., North Hills, Calif.
Phone:  818-787-3800.  http://www.gogalpin.com

    For dates and locations of Ford Blue Oval Certified dealers participating
in "Commitment to Kids" events, parents can call 1-866-BLUEOVAL or log onto
http://www.blueoval.fordvehicles.com.

    For more information on the National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children, contact Tina Schwartz at 703-837-6251.

    For further information, please contact Susan Krusel, 313-594-4175, Pager,
888-467-3673, skrusel@ford.com, or Media Information Center, 800-665-1515, or
313-621-0504, media@ford.com, both for Ford Motor Company.

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