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Ford Donates $6.2 Million to Dearborn

13 December 1999

Ford Donates $6.2 Million to Dearborn

    DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 13 -- Ford Motor Company
announced today a donation of $6.2 million to the City of Dearborn and Henry
Ford Academy in support of community and education initiatives.
    "Ford Motor Company is pleased to help the City of Dearborn and Henry Ford
Academy provide cultural and educational resources for our community," said
William Clay Ford, Jr., Chairman Ford Motor Company.  "Part of our philosophy
as a business is finding innovative ways to help enrich the lives of people in
our neighborhoods."
    Ford Motor Company is donating $5 million to the City of Dearborn in
support of the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.  The facility will
include state-of-the-art facilities for theatre performances, meeting space
for community groups and senior citizens' activities, fitness and recreation
programs.  The center will support community-based health, fitness,
recreation, performing arts programs, activities and educational services.
    Ford is also donating $1.2 million to the Henry Ford Academy for operating
support and development of new programs.  This award is in addition to the
$4.8 million Ford Motor Company donated in 1997 to help launch the Henry Ford
Academy.  This public charter high school created, by Ford Motor Company in
partnership with Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, has achieved
student attendance and retention rates that are among the highest in the
state.  In the spring of 1999, 18 of 21 students who took the MEAP, as 10th
graders, passed and are now eligible for dual enrollment at both HFA and Henry
Ford Community College.  These students will be able to earn college credit as
juniors in high school.  With the additional support from Ford Motor Company,
new programs will be developed to infuse the use of technology, principles of
performance-based and project-based learning, and other innovative models of
teaching.
    Ford Motor Company has a long history of active involvement in many
educational and community activities.  Ford continues to be involved in new
efforts to help revitalize the city where the company's founder built his
first car 100 years ago.