• Ford is contributing $400,000 toward construction of 25 tiny homes to revitalize Detroit neighborhood; Ford Volunteer Corps members to assist with projects
• Tiny homes are part of a $1.5 million neighborhood by Cass Community Social Services to provide affordable housing for low-and moderate-income residents
• Ford contributions are part of a growing community presence for the automaker in Detroit and Southeast Michigan, where the company expects to invest $20 million this year.

Company Website: http://corporate.ford.com/
DETROIT -- (Business Wire)

Ford Motor Company is making a major investment in Cass Community Social Services’ tiny homes project, an innovative Detroit neighborhood revitalization plan aimed at providing affordable housing for low-and-moderate income residents.

Ford is contributing $400,000 and Ford Volunteer Corps members are lending their time – making Ford the lead supporter of the $1.5 million project. The automaker’s contributions, including those from its philanthropic arm Ford Motor Company Fund, build on Ford’s commitment to local community service that began more than 100 years ago.

“Cass Community’s tiny homes project presents an opportunity to make a big difference in an underserved Detroit neighborhood,” says Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Ford has a proud legacy of giving back to Detroit and Southeast Michigan, and this type of transformational project aligns with our mission of making people’s lives better through innovation.”

The tiny homes project will provide permanent housing to individuals and couples, including college students, senior citizens, formerly homeless people and members of the social services staff. When complete, the new architecturally distinctive community will have 25 tiny homes ranging from 250 to 400 square feet on 30-by-100 foot lots.

“We are immeasurably grateful to the Ford Motor Company Fund and our other generous supporters for helping us build Detroit’s first tiny home community,” said Rev. Faith Fowler, executive director, Cass Community Social Services. “The Cass Tiny Homes development is so much more than housing. It is a novel anti-poverty program that will transform the residents and this neighborhood while it helps to protect the planet.”

Ford, a longtime supporter of Cass Community Social Services, is investing in the tiny homes project as part of an expanding community presence for the automaker in Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Ford and Ford Fund expect to contribute $20 million to local educational, arts, cultural, diversity, hunger relief and social service organizations this year – a 70 percent increase from the annual giving amount five years ago.

Over the last 10 years, Ford and Ford Fund have made community investments totaling $161 million in the region. Specific examples include:

• Ford Resource and Engagement Center, an innovative community gathering place in Southwest Detroit has provided 85,000 youth and families with a range of social and cultural services, including 1.3 million pounds of food and helping to complete 6,100 tax returns
• $10 million contribution to Detroit Institute of Arts as part of the Grand Bargain program, as well as donations for emergency vehicles, Detroit Water Fund and M-1 Rail project
• Lead sponsorship of America’s Thanksgiving Parade and Ford Fireworks in Detroit, as well as increased presence at this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival
• Commitment to education through Blue Oval Scholarships, Henry Ford Academy, career academies, and an innovative technology education platform called Ford STEAM Lab
• Ford Volunteer Corps activity that has filled 80,000 volunteer positions in more than 8,000 community service projects with Detroit-area nonprofits

“Ford has always played a role in serving the communities where we do business,” says Vella. “We are excited about the future of our region and look forward to expanding even further in critical areas such as education, arts and culture.”

To follow the Tiny Home Open House coverage on social media, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @fordincommunity and watch an Instagram story for behind the scenes footage. Cass Community tiny home news can also be found through #tinyhomedetroit and #fordgivesback.

About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community and global partners to advance driving safety, education and community life. Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 65 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. Ford Driving Skills for Life is free, interactive, hands-on safety training focused on skill development and driving techniques, while addressing inexperience, distractions and impaired driving. Innovation in education is encouraged through Ford Blue Oval Scholars, Ford Next Generation Learning and other inspiring programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. The Ford Volunteer Corps enlists more than 30,000 Ford employees and retirees each year to work on local projects that strengthen their communities and improve people’s lives in more than 40 countries around the world. For more information, visit http://community.ford.com.

About Cass Community Social Services

Cass Community Social Services is dedicated to making a profound difference in the lives of the diverse populations it serves by providing for basic needs, including affordable housing, promoting self-reliance and encouraging community involvement. The agency works with men, women and children with HIV/AIDS, medical and mental illness, developmental disabilities and/or substance abuse. Cass utilizes 7,000 volunteers annually. Every night, more than 300 homeless men, women and children stay in a Cass facility. To learn more about Cass Community Social Services, please visit www.casscommunity.org.

For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and video, visit www.media.ford.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160908005334/en/

Contacts:

Ford Motor Company Fund
Todd Nissen
313.322.4898
tnissen@ford.com
or
Cass Community Social Services
Marcy Hayes, C&B Scene
248.336.8360, 248.408.1550
scene@candbscene.com

Source: Ford Motor Company