Ford unveils multimillion-dollar investments in West-Tennessee
Ford Motor Co. and its philanthropic wing, Ford Philanthropy, have unveiled a Good Neighbor Plan for West Tennessee.
The plan announced Thursday, Jan. 23, was developed after several years of coordination and community discussions led by the Equitable Growth Advisory Council. The group is made up of 30 stakeholders across West Tennessee, including elected representatives, religious leaders, business executives, and state officials.
"The next few years will shape our communities for generations, and we believe deeply that this should be an era of shared prosperity and opportunity,” the council wrote in an open letter to residents. “Every community surrounding BlueOval City should benefit as the complex comes to life.”
Details on the plan can be found at . Through the initiative, Ford is committing another $9 million in new investments — on top of the $21 million it has already invested in rural West Tennessee.
The new investments are scheduled to roll out over the next several years, with the majority of them in the next 12 to 18 months. The plan is focused on a 15-mile radius around the BlueOval City campus, with scholarships available to residents within a 60-mile radius.
“Together, we are working to make sure the next chapter in this region’s story is about opportunity, while preserving and celebrating the vitality and culture that makes West Tennessee so special,” Gabby Bruno, director of community relations with Ford, said in a news release.
The Good Neighbor Plan is primarily focused on building community, career preparation, and protecting the environment.
The plan includes more than 60 separate donations going toward:
Construction/rejuvenation of community centers in Dancyville, Douglass, Mason, and Stanton
Community center grants for facility improvements and programs
Reopening the Brownsville community pool and adding a new splash pad
Renovating five playgrounds in Haywood County and one in Mason (in Tipton County)
Help with emergency rent, utility, and home repair needs
Legal assistance to low-income families and individuals
Affordable transportation, expanding Feonix Mobility Rising’s services into the rural areas near BlueOval City
$2,500 cost-of-attendance scholarships from Ford Philanthropy
Digital fabrication labs for area schools to improve hands-on learning
Laptops for GED graduates in Haywood County
A new YMCA early childcare center in Stanton
Legal aid for land appraisals and to obtain clear titles
Outdoor pavilions in Stanton, Mason, and Douglass for farmers markets
Financial literacy classes, workshops, and one-on-one financial counseling
Entrepreneurship programs
Pre-K expansion in Haywood County
Book giveaways for kids
Literacy initiatives for youth and adult learner
Youth sports and science camps, and music, arts, and cultural programs
After-school program enhancements and facility improvements
"We will know our plan is successful when residents young and old believe their brightest future is in rural West Tennessee," the advisory council wrote. "When they can build their lives and raise their families right here. This is generational change, and we are just getting started.”
