Ford, General Mills Come Together to Help America's Schools, Partner in Box Tops for Education® Program

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• By purchasing a Ford vehicle, ordering a brochure or watching a product video, consumers will be able to raise money for schools of their choice from Ford, thanks to its new tie-up with General Mills' Box Tops for Education® program

• Ford is the first automotive company to partner with General Mills' Box Tops for Education® program

• Ford estimates it will provide more than $1 million dollars to schools during the two-month program through box top redemptions

• America's schools have earned more than $400 million through Box Tops for Education® since the General Mills program started in 1996; Ford has donated more than $100 million to education in the same timeframe

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and General Mills, two companies that have made supporting education a key element of their businesses, are partnering to provide additional funding to schools across the country through the popular Box Tops for Education® (BTFE) program.

Ford, the first automotive company to partner with General Mills on its Box Tops for Education® (BTFE) initiative, today kicks-off a two-month program, which aims to generate $1 million in support for schools throughout the U.S.

"Since this company started, Ford has always looked for ways to support our country's young people and their education," said Jim Farley, group vice president, Ford Global Marketing. "We are delighted to be the first automotive company to partner with General Mills on Box Tops for Education because it provides us a unique way to reach and help students across the whole country."

Ford has taken General Mills' consumer fundraising effort and evolved it so Ford vehicle owners and shoppers can now easily participate and generate funds to support their local schools. Starting Oct. 3, participants can earn and collect Box Tops for their local school in three new ways. They can request a brochure from the official Ford/BTFE program website at FordDrivesBoxTops.com; watch product videos on the program website; or purchase a Ford vehicle at dealerships during October and November.

"The partnership with Ford is a major step for Box Tops for Education as we continue to offer new ways to activate the program beyond the packaged goods category," said Mark Addicks, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for General Mills. "Ford's involvement in the program will allow us to drive needed revenue for schools across the country in a very interactive way with one of America's most storied brands."

During the two-month "Ford Drives Box Tops" Sweepstakes, Ford will provide sweepstakes winners with eBoxTops, which will be automatically credited to the school of their choice. Five 10,000 Box Top prizes worth $1,000 and one 200,000 Box Tops prize worth $20,000 will be given to the BTFE-eligible school of the winner's choice at the end of the Sweepstakes. Schools can use the money in any way they choose.

Filling a Vital Need

As schools struggle to find funding, local communities are turning to corporate programs such Box Tops for Education and Ford's Drive One 4 UR School program to fill budget gaps.

Through the first nine months of this year alone, Ford has donated $1.8 million to U.S. schools through its Drive One 4 UR School program, with student test-drives skyrocketing more than 600 percent. During the first four years of the program combined, the program generated $5.5 million.

"Our dealers have seen programs like Drive One 4 UR School garner more popularity year after year," said Jim Herrick, President, Liberty Auto Group. "Now with Box Tops for Education, we have the opportunity to help even more kids in more schools than ever before."

Ford and Education

Supporting education has been a key tenant of Ford since the company's inception. Through its history, Ford has created a variety of programs dedicated to improving schools in communities across America, donating more than $100 million to education in just the past 15 years.

The Drive One 4 UR School program was developed as a fun, engaging way to help high schools raise money to support their sports and extracurricular activities. Ford and Lincoln Dealerships partner with local high schools to conduct test-drive fund raising events. For every valid test-drive completed, Ford Motor Company will donate $20 to the participating high school, up to $6,000.  Since the program's inception in 2007, more than $7 million in funds have been donated to high schools nationwide.

The Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services program works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and American heritage and community life. The fund has been in operation for more than 60 years, and in 2010, nearly $19 million in donations were contributed to education and other programs through the Ford Fund.

Ford's Driving Skills for Life program, supports teen safe driving through its award-winning safe-driving curriculum. Since 2003, more than 341,000 students have been trained in safe-driving practices. The free Driving Skills for Life program was developed by Ford, the Governors Highway Safety Association and a panel of safety experts to educate teens with a combination of ride-and-drive events, educational materials, customized in-school events and an interactive Web site.

About Box Tops for Education®

General Mills' Box Tops for Education® program offers families easy, everyday ways to earn cash for their designated school. The program started in 1996 and over the past 15 years, more than 90,000 schools have earned over $400 million through Box Tops for Education, including more than $59 million last school year.

eBoxTops are electronic credits that are made directly to the BTFE-eligible school by General Mills, equivalent to 10 cents for each eBoxTop credit. Schools can earn up to $60,000 per year, up to $20,000 respectively from the Clip, Box Tops Marketplace®, and Reading Room program components, to spend on things they need most. For additional information, check out btfe.com.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company