Ford Motor Company Fund Invests $5M to Address Gaps in Access to Transportation in Detroit and Other U.S. Cities

Dec 05, 2023
<2 MIN READ
Connecting Communities to Transportation Solutions Click to Enlarge

Did you know that one in four Americans lacks access to safe, reliable and affordable transportation? This means they have a harder time accessing fresh food, healthcare and economic opportunities, and without these fundamentals, too many people are unable to take care of themselves and their families, much less pursue their dreams.

The Ford Fund is addressing this critical need by investing $5M in organizations expanding access to transportation in Ford’s plant cities.

In West Tennessee, Feonix - Mobility Rising is developing a new Transportation Assistance Hub that will connect individuals to existing transportation resources and create new mobility operations to meet rural community needs in Stanton and the surrounding region.

This investment will provide not only life changing impact locally for residents, but also establish data and mobility service insights that can be expanded across the nation.
Valerie Lefler
Executive Director and Founder of Feonix - Mobility Rising, a nonprofit organization focused on removing transportation barriers in under-resourced communities.

In Detroit, Feonix – Mobility Rising is launching a “Grocery Express” program which will provide transportation services to and from local grocery stores, expanding access to food for 200 Detroiters each week. Their “Access to Care” pilot will give rides to and from medical appointments for Detroit-based maternal health patients.

Vision to Learn is bringing free mobile eyecare services, including exams and glasses to students in schools and throughout communities in Northeast Ohio near Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant and Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.

United Way of Southeastern Michigan’s “Ride United” program will help Detroiters regain suspended driver’s licenses, make needed car repairs, acquire a vehicle, access on-demand rides and integrate with broader United Way support services.

Ford Fund is also investing in grassroots collaborations with several other organizations including with:

  • Disabled American Veterans, continuing a more than 100-year partnership supporting veterans with transportation to and from medical appointments in communities across the country. 
  • Wayne Health Mobile Unit, expanding access to healthcare by bringing wellness checks and prescription management programs to neighborhoods across Detroit.
  • DoorDash, delivering groceries and/or meals from food banks in Detroit, Louisville and West Tennessee to transportation limited individuals and communities.