DEARBORN, Mich. — Educational budget cuts are common, forcing schools in every state to either eliminate valued programs or search for other means of funding.
To address these needs at a local level and empower communities to support and protect valued programs, Ford Motor Company and its dealers partner with high schools across the United States to offer the Drive One 4 UR School program. This initiative has raised more than $10 million through nearly 3,000 events since its inception in 2007, and provides up to $6,000 per school through test drives of Ford products. More than 1,150 dealers have partnered with their local high schools to participate in the program and the funds raised can be applied to any area where the school needs support – athletics, music, even to fix damages from natural disasters.
In April, Ford, its dealers and high schools will attempt to raise a record-setting $1 million in a single month through more than 300 Drive One 4 UR School events throughout the U.S.
“The Drive One 4 UR School program was developed as a fun, engaging way to help high schools raise and apply money where they need it, and we realized that if we really applied our efforts in April, we could make a greater difference than ever before,” said Tracy Magee, Ford Experiential Marketing Manager. “Our dealers really shine here in going above and beyond to serve their communities by joining with local high schools to raise money and protect important programs and services.”
How Drive One 4 UR School events work
For each Drive One 4 UR School event, Ford and Lincoln dealers work with a local high school to schedule a test drive fundraising event. The dealers provide the cars to be test-driven, the high school organizes the event itself, and both work together to get the word out to their community. For every valid test drive completed, Ford Motor Company donates $20 to the participating high school, up to $6,000.
Making a difference – stories from participating high schools
O’Connell College Preparatory School, Galveston Island, Texas (partnering with Classic Ford): The residents of Galveston Island are still trying to fully recover from the effects of Hurricane Ike, which struck in 2008. O’Connell College Preparatory School lost millions of dollars in books, technology, equipment, furniture, fixtures and vehicles, and the school’s library, cafeteria and locker rooms were damaged. O’Connell’s Drive One 4 UR School event funding will be applied under its general budget to address these losses and damages.
Prestonburg High School, Ivel, Ky. (partnering with Freedom Ford): In early spring, a few schools in the Prestonburg area were badly damaged by tornadoes. Prestonburg High School forfeited hosting its scheduled Drive One 4 UR School event and donated it to another local high school, Magoffin County High School, which required financial assistance to recover from damages. To recognize the generosity of Prestonburg High School, Ford granted Freedom Ford a second event to host to benefit Prestonburg High School as well.
North Hartford High School, Pylesville, Md. (partnering with Plaza Ford): This year, North Hartford High School will use Drive One 4 UR School funding to finish its long-awaited stadium project, adding concession amenities and locker room improvements for both the home and visiting teams.
Click on the link below to see the full list of Drive One 4 UR School events scheduled during the April $1 Million Challenge:
http://media.ford.com/images/10031/DO4URSAprilEventCalendar.pdf
Click on the link below to watch a video and learn more about Drive One 4 UR School:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=3030580444243.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.
