Ford Philanthropy Breaks Ground on New Ford Community Center in Tennessee

Ford Motor Company and Ford Philanthropy celebrate the groundbreaking of a new Ford Community Center in Stanton, Tennessee, in collaboration with local partners, including United Way of West Tennessee.

Hosted at the historic Stanton School, the site of the new Center, the ceremony marks the beginning of a transformative project aimed at enhancing the lives of long-term residents and uplifting the entire community.

“Today’s groundbreaking is the culmination of many hours of listening, learning and collaborating with local residents, nonprofits and community leaders about what’s needed most, and we can’t wait to realize the full potential of this unique space,” says Mary Culler, President of Ford Philanthropy.

“By uniting resources, services and, most importantly, people, our aim is to create meaningful opportunities for growth and connection for all residents in the area, now and for years to come.”

Investing in West Tennessee 

The Ford Community Center will be located close to BlueOval City, Ford’s new electric vehicle and battery manufacturing campus in West Tennessee, and will also serve the nearby communities of Brownsville, Covington and Somerville.

To better understand local needs, Ford Philanthropy facilitated 2,500 hours of listening sessions to help inform and co-create meaningful solutions that enhance the lives of West Tennessee’s long-term residents. The goal is to serve as a “front door” to the rich diversity of services already available in the area, add others that are needed, and ultimately help people thrive.

“Thanks to the support of Ford Philanthropy and the State of Tennessee, families who have called this community home for generations will have new opportunities to benefit from the economic growth coming to West Tennessee,” says Matt Marshall, president and CEO of United Way of West Tennessee.

“Households in and around the BlueOval Impact Zone will be able to come by, call, or click to get real help from real people – help that moves them forward and upward. Whether it’s financial empowerment, legal support, health or hunger needs, and so much more, the team at the Ford Community Center will be ready to help people holistically address their greatest challenges and pursue their greatest dreams. We’ve listened to the needs of the community and United Way couldn’t be more grateful to help coordinate these services.”

New Opportunities for a Historic Community 

The Ford Community Center will be located at the historic Stanton School at 5 Lafayette Street in Stanton, Tennessee. The unique community-engagement process to launch the Center resulted in a public-private partnership that will restore a critical piece of local history, repurposing the historic school, which was built in 1948 to educate African American students before desegregation.

With support from the State of Tennessee’s Connected Community Facility Grant, a Historic Development Grant and matching funds from Ford Philanthropy, the schoolhouse will undergo a full historic renovation and upgrades to modern infrastructure including broadband access, to serve as the Ford Community Center for Stanton and the surrounding communities.
The new Center will offer a collaborative space for nonprofits, community members, and local leaders to support long-term residents. Anchored by United Way of West Tennessee, the Center will provide services focused on economic mobility, food security, physical mobility and entrepreneurship services.

“We will see the benefit of Ford’s historic investment in West Tennessee for generations to come, and today, we celebrate another milestone for the Stanton and Haywood County communities,” said Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter. “The Ford Community Center will be a vital resource to this region and is testament to the cohesiveness and strong relationships we have fostered statewide.”

Partners

This project was made possible by the collaboration and support of the following partners, including Town of Stanton, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, The Cannery, Feonix Mobility Rising, Le Bonheur Community Health and Well-being, Mid-South Food Bank, Stanton Health Center, theCO, Vision Haywood, West Tennessee Legal Services, YMCA, Haywood County Schools, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Haywood County, Lauderdale County, Tipton County and the Town of Brownsville.

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About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.  The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty.  Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services.  The company does that through three customer-centered business segments:  Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs.  Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  Ford employs about 175,000 people worldwide.  More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.