Ford Donates Vans to Deliver Veterans to Medical Appointments

COLD SPRING, Ky., Aug. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Through the generosity of the Ford Motor Company Fund, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) will be able to continue to provide free transportation to America's injured and ill veterans who might not otherwise be able to access needed medical care.

Ford, a long-time DAV supporter, is donating another $200,000 for the purchase of seven new vehicles for the organization's nationwide Transportation Network, which provides rides for veterans to and from their medical appointments at no cost. Ford has already donated $78,000 to DAV to again support the annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic and DAV's Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship Program, which incentivizes young people who volunteer to help veterans and their families. The grant will be presented at DAV's National Convention at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Aug. 8.

Ford Motor Company's kindness toward America's veterans dates back nearly 100 years. When it became clear a national forum was needed to address the needs of those returning from the First World War, Henry Ford organized a cross-country caravan of 50 Model T Fords to take disabled veterans to the 1922 DAV National Convention in San Francisco.

"We are extremely proud and grateful of our long partnership with Ford Motor Company," said DAV National Commander Ron Hope. "These vehicles will be used by volunteers nationwide to ensure our wounded heroes get to and from medical appointments. Without this donation and program, many of these veterans would go without the medical care they earned."

Since 1996, Ford has donated 199 vehicles to DAV's fleet – that's in addition to the 2,967 Ford vans purchased by the DAV, its Chapters and Departments and the National Service Foundation's Columbia Trust since 1987, at a cost of more than $65 million.

"Ford also helps to make the Jesse Brown Youth Memorial Scholarship possible, enabling youth volunteers who are giving back to veterans in their communities to attend college, and continues to support the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic," added Commander Hope. "Ford is an American institution and we're grateful they continue to support the men and women who preserve the American way of life we hold sacred."

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and community life. The Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 60 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. Ford Driving Skills for Life teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 25,000 Ford employees and retirees each year work on projects that better their communities in 30 countries. For more information, visit http://community.ford.com.

About DAV:
DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America's injured heroes on Capitol Hill; linking veterans and their families to employment resources; and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a non-profit organization with nearly 1.3 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U. S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at www.dav.org.

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Contact:      Sarah L. Goodling 
[email protected], 410-626-0805  

SOURCE DAV

Related Links

http://www.dav.org