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Ford Credit to Give Santa's Elves a Boost Dec. 4 in Michigan

2 December 1998

Ford Credit to Give Santa's Elves a Boost Dec. 4 in Michigan

    DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 1 -- Ford Credit will give Santa's
elves a giant boost when it presents more than 1,800 gifts purchased for
Michigan children to Child and Family Services of Michigan this Friday,
Dec. 4, at 11:30 a.m. in the Ford Credit Building's Main Lobby at Ford Credit
Headquarters in Dearborn.
    Purchased and wrapped by Ford Credit employees, the gifts will fulfill the
Wish Lists of more than 600 children "adopted" by Ford Credit as part of
Operation Good Cheer.
    This year, Operation Good Cheer will provide holiday gifts to 3,125
children and teens in foster care and residential facilities statewide.  Ford
Motor Company's various divisions provide gifts for more than half
of the children participating in the program, and Ford Credit is the largest
single contributor.
    In total, 71 separate donor groups statewide are participating as gift
givers in Operation Good Cheer.  Also, 11 companies have volunteered their
vehicles, fuel and drivers to gather the gifts from 22 locations throughout
the state and deliver them to Oakland County International Airport.  There,
they will be sorted and distributed in time for Christmas with the assistance
of more than 100 volunteer pilots and aircraft.
    Operation Good Cheer was started by Ford Motor Company employees in 1971
and has grown from 66 children served to more than 3,000 annually.  The
program is coordinated and administered by the State Office of Child and
Family Services of Michigan.
    Ford Credit, a wholly-owned finance subsidiary of Ford Motor Company,
serves more than 8.5 million customers in 36 countries.