Ford donates 17 vehicles, millions of dollars to disaster relief group
Team Rubicon Powered by Ford is a new, high impact, year round initiative designed to support communities nationwide with disaster response and emergencypreparedness resources. As part of that, Ford Motor Company will donate 17 vehicles toTeam Rubico
DEARBORN, Mich. (FOX 2) - Ford's philanthropic arm is investing millions of dollars into disaster relief that comes with the donation of 17 vehicles and a promise that employees at the automaker will volunteer during events.
The $5.8 million partnership with Team Rubicon includes a pathway for the humanitarian organization to scale up its operations in Michigan.
The announcement Tuesday comes amid an uncertain future of extreme weather - a growing factor of life in Metro Detroit that makes an appearance during both warm and cold periods of the year.
The new disaster relief initiative will dispatch both money and volunteers to areas around the U.S. impacted by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and wildfires. In Michigan, extreme flooding and severe thunderstorms pose a threat in the summer.
The vehicles that Ford is donating to the relief effort include:
- 10 Ford F-150 Hybrid trucks
- Three Ford F-150 Lightning trucks
- Two Ford Super Duty F-350 trucks
- Two Ford Bronco SUVs
In addition to the vehicles, a five-year software management program is also part of the agreement.
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"At the heart of Ford is our commitment to help out our communities in times of need and make it possible for our employees to volunteer their time and talent to help others," said Bill Ford, Executive Chair.
"The reality is weather-related disasters in the U.S. are becoming more frequent and more severe. That is why we are significantly expanding our relationship with Team Rubicon, donating a fleet of vehicles and deploying volunteers where they are needed most."
Ford's new F-150s came in handy during ice storms in Texas in 2021 when millions of people lost power and the new vehicles helped charge and warm up homes with the help of the truck's battery.