2017 Ford Edge SEL Owner Testimonial | Edge | Ford

Ford owner Anna Soiz takes us through the 2017 Ford Edge SEL to detail what she loves most about her car. Some of her favorite things are a NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating*, Sync® 3, and its spacious cargo area.

*Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov).

FORD EXPANDS DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS IN PUERTO RICO; INVESTS MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION FOR FOOD AND COMMUNITY AID

• Ford Motor Company Fund is investing more than $1.2 million to open temporary mobile community centers across Puerto Rico to provide access to food, resources and services
• Ford support includes college educational grants for community building, vehicle donations of Transit Connect cargo vans and an F-150, water filters and 10,000 new books
• Ford is collaborating with national and local nonprofits including Centros Sor Isolina Ferré, The Salvation Army, Red Cross, Enactus, LNESC, Boys & Girls Clubs, La Alianza para la Educación Alternativa, Proyecto NACER and First Book

PONCE, Puerto Rico, Dec. 19, 2017 – Ford Motor Company Fund is investing more than $1.2 million for expanded disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico and spearheading a collaboration with nonprofits to bring much-needed vehicles, supplies and services to hurricane-devastated communities on the island.

Organized as a multiyear social mobility program, the Ford-led Centro de Movilidad Social will connect children and families with a range of services – from basic needs such as food, water, clothing and transportation, to longer-term recovery assistance through educational grants and job skills development.

“This effort is at the heart of Ford Fund’s mission to provide opportunities and access for people in need,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund – the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company. “Centro de Movilidad Social allows us to expand our ongoing efforts to help rebuild the lives of thousands of Puerto Ricans following Hurricane Maria.”

The program begins this month at Centros Sor Isolina Ferré in Ponce, where families can access food, water and other basic necessities, learn new skills, and engage with their community members in recovery efforts.

Ford is donating three immediate-response vehicles – two Transit Connect cargo vans and an F-150 – to travel across the island as pop-up mobile resource centers helping The Salvation Army and Red Cross Puerto Rico deliver food, water, clothing, shoes, medical assistance and educational resources to people in need. Ford’s investment includes 10,000 new books for students, plus water filters complete with guidance on how to clean water for use at home.

In 2018, Centro de Movilidad Social will expand to provide multiple temporary, community centers across the island. Additional educational and technology resources are in development to further assist with long-term and strategic recovery efforts.

As part of Ford’s broader outreach, the company announced the winners of the Ford College Community Challenge in Puerto Rico. The program is designed to empower students at higher education organizations to catalyze community-building projects that address pressing local needs.

Earlier this year, students were invited to design a strategy to support ongoing efforts to rebuild Puerto Rico. The following student teams will receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to implement their plans:

• First place – University of Puerto Rico representing Rena-Cen, an eco-tourism and environmental conservation project in Luquillo
• Second place – Humacao Community College representing Habitat
• Third place – National University College in Bayamón representing Atabey, a community project to promote an entrepreneurial eco-system in Cataño

“Puerto Rico has always been important for Ford and we stand committed to continue helping local communities with resources, services, and access to basic needs,” said Gabriel López, president and CEO of Ford Mexico, who oversees Ford’s operations in Puerto Rico. “After bringing direct relief to communities with Ruta Solidaria Ford, our social mobility centers will be part of our contribution toward a long-term recovery for the Island”.

Centro de Movilidad Social is modeled after Ford Resource and Engagement Centers in Detroit and South Africa, where Ford brings together nonprofit groups to provide basic needs, educational services, job training, safe driving programs and other initiatives to meet community needs.

“Working with long-standing partners like The Salvation Army, Red Cross and others, we saw an opportunity to replicate some of our existing assistance models and bring them to an area where there’s an urgent need,” said Vella. “By leveraging the strengths, experience and programs we have in place elsewhere, we hope to have a greater and more immediate impact in disaster recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.”

Over the past seven years, Ford has invested more than $1.5 million in communities in Puerto Rico through Operation Better World.

Centro de Movilidad Social is an extension of the disaster assistance efforts Ford has undertaken this year. Immediately following the devastation of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, Ford activated its disaster relief efforts to match contributions to the American Red Cross – up to $300,000 for each hurricane. Contributions from Ford Fund, plus Ford employee and dealership donations are now nearing $1 million.

Ford: Returning to Our Roots to Look Toward the Future | Ford

As a revolutionary company whose start in Detroit lead to innovations in the industry, Ford plans to return to its roots in Corktown, a crossroads of connectivity in the Motor City. Talent and technology will intersect, and Ford will look toward the future in the pursuit of making it easier and cleaner to move in the cities of tomorrow.

A Detroit Firehouse’s Holiday Surprise | F-150 | Ford

As part of Ford’s continuous efforts in our community - see how we partnered up with Denis Leary and the Detroit Lions to surprise a group of Detroit firehouses for the holidays.

‘Mystery Van’ Helping Self-Driving Cars Communicate with People | Autonomy | Ford

As the self-driving future nears, we’re testing the next phase in autonomous technology to learn how these vehicles can communicate with pedestrians. We worked with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute to explore this new development, and see how pedestrians on campus reacted to a vehicle that appeared to be driving itself.

Omar Conteh: A Ford Family Away From Home

Omar Conteh: A Ford Family Away From Home

FORD EMPLOYEES ARE LEADING THE WAY TO A BETTER WORLD, ENERGIZING FORD’S IMPACT ON MAKING PEOPLE’S LIVES BETTER

• The Ford Volunteer Corps enlisted employees for more than 36,000 volunteer opportunities around the world to help raise the quality of life for people
• Ford employees and dealers pitched in to assist disaster relief efforts following hurricanes, floods and wildfires
• Ford Motor Company Fund is working to advance innovation, social mobility and access to the basic needs and services that can connect people to a better life

DETROIT, Dec. 15, 2017 – From disaster relief contributions to community service projects, Ford Motor Company employees around the world went beyond their daily jobs in 2017 to leave a positive impact where they live and work.

In total, the Ford Volunteer Corps filled 36,488 volunteer opportunities in more than 1,700 community service projects during 2017 – an increase of more than 3,000 participants and 200-plus projects from last year. Ford employees installed clean water systems, built homes, renovated shelters and schools and fed the hungry in 40 countries, working more than 237,000 hours for people in their cities, towns and villages. The time donated by Ford volunteers is the equivalent of a financial investment of $5.72 million.

Ford volunteers put their engineering know-how to work for children facing mobility challenges by making modifications to toy trucks that help the kids move about with their friends who can run and walk. Ford employees created music playlists for dementia patients, hoping to stimulate happy memories and connect them with deep-rooted feelings of peace and joy. And Ford volunteers helped vacant city lots spring back to life with flower and vegetables gardens that benefit entire neighborhoods.

“Our employees are the heart and soul of this company,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company. “Their energy, creativity and dedication to making people’s lives better is what makes Ford truly special.”

Ford employees also contributed to disaster relief efforts following hurricanes, floods and wildfires in 2017. As Ford and Ford Fund contributed vehicles and financial aid to disaster relief teams in Texas, Florida and Mexico, Ford employees and dealers reached into their own pockets to personally donate more than $500,000 to help people get back on their feet in the wake of this year’s devastating wave of natural disasters. Ford volunteers also stepped up to assist families with cleanup and held collection drives for essential items identified by local non-profits.

Along with the ongoing Ford Volunteer Corps’ initiatives, Ford employees have the opportunity to participate in additional programs that demonstrate the company’s commitment to helping build stronger communities around the world.

The Bill Ford Better World Challenge inspires Ford employees to brainstorm ideas that could transform daily life and solve global problems in communities worldwide where Ford does business. Meeting this year’s challenge is a Ford Volunteer Corps project in India that will improve sanitary conditions in an underserved village by installing hundreds of SMART toilets, while also teaching residents good hygiene habits. In Mexico, a new community center will be built to offer residents in a remote location access to clean drinking water, a rarity in that part of the country, along with bathrooms equipped with flush toilets and handwashing facilities.

Additionally, Ford’s Thirty Under 30 philanthropic leadership program is designed to empower young Ford employees – under the age of 30 – to work with and learn about philanthropic organizations to address hunger, homelessness and other urgent community needs. Nearly 400 younger Ford employees recently applied for the 30 seats in the program’s third class.

“Ford’s younger generation of employees will be a powerful force for good with their creative thinking and unique insights that can elevate and complement traditional philanthropy,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund. “They want to help us better serve people in our communities and we are helping to equip them with the tools and resources to make it happen.”

Clever Car Hacks

Do you always forget what side your fuel door is on? Or what to do when your windows won’t stop fogging up? In most cases, there’s a common-sense car hack for that. In this week’s segment of Driving Smart, Matt Schmitz shares a few that will make driving a bit more enjoyable.

Ford Model T Assembly Line (1919)

Ford Motor Company produced these films to document the assembly of the Model T. The film begins with Part 5 -- this footage was edited out of order -- at a point when the Model T is near completion. As the car moves down the assembly line, workmen -- each assigned a specific task -- maneuver parts into position and attach them to the vehicle. Ford's use of the moving assembly line revolutionized auto making and provided affordable, reliable cars for Americans.

Life Hack Academy Winter Packing Hacks with Tia Mowry | EcoSport | Ford

Tia Mowry recommends some packing hacks to save you space and pack what you need for winter getaways, and with SYNC© 3 navigation in the Ford EcoSport, you can always get to your destination on time.