Ford's Grants Drive Expanded Educational Programs in Miami, Detroit, and Phoenix
LOS ANGELES, CA. February 26, 2009 – As part of its long term commitment to supporting innovative educational programs across the country, Ford Motor Company Fund has awarded grants to the GRAMMY Foundation® that will support an expansion of its GRAMMY in the Schools® programs into the target cities of Miami, Detroit and Phoenix.
The support from the community relations arm of Ford Motor Company will go toward three GRAMMY in the Schools® programs: GRAMMY Signature Schools, which helps financially challenged schools offer music programs for students; GRAMMY Career Day, which helps high school students gain insights into music industry careers; and GRAMMY Camp Scholarships, a residential summer program that offers high school students an interactive music experience focusing on all aspects of commercial music.
As part of its support of GRAMMY Foundation programs, Ford Fund is awarding $5,000 to schools in Miami, Detroit and Phoenix that win needs-based "Enterprise" awards under GRAMMY's Signature Schools program. In addition, Ford Fund will award one full scholarship to GRAMMY Camp® to a winning student in each city.
"Ford Motor Company Fund is proud to partner with the GRAMMY Foundation to continue our century-long commitment to education", said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "Supporting music programs in schools is just another way Ford seeks to enhance and expand opportunities for young people throughout the U.S."
"Our GRAMMY in the Schools programs are designed to provide young people with access to the power of music," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY Foundation. "Whether they are attending our GRAMMY Camp or GRAMMY Career Day to gain insight into industry careers directly from outstanding artists and music industry professionals or they are a student in a high school music program strengthened by a GRAMMY Signature Schools award, our GRAMMY Foundation programs give students significant opportunities to enrich their musical lives. That's why we are proud to work with an organization that is committed to music education like the Ford Fund."
Under the banner of GRAMMY in the Schools, the GRAMMY Foundation achieves its goals in music education by:
1) Drawing public attention to the critical importance of maintaining music education as a core element of school curricula,
2) Bringing students together with working professionals for a "real life" exchange of information, insight and inspiration and
3) Recognizing excellence in musical achievement nationwide – both among individual students and school music programs.
The GRAMMY Signature Schools program and GRAMMY® Career Day are presented nationally by the Gibson Foundation. GRAMMY Camp is hosted by the University of Southern California (USC) Thornton School of Music and sponsored in part by Epiphone.
For more information on the Ford Motor Company Fund and the GRAMMY Foundation visit
www.community.ford.com and www.grammyintheschools.com
ABOUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY FUND AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the communities where Ford operates. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2009 and made possible by funding from Ford Motor Company, Ford Motor Company Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education, auto-related safety, and American heritage and legacy. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues Ford's legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, Ford employees and retirees participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.community.ford.com.
ABOUT THE GRAMMY FOUNDATION
The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture – from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of future generations of music professionals. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy®, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit www.grammyfoundation.com
Contacts:
Edna or Damian Bruce
ESP Public Relations
Playa Del Rey, CA
W.310.827.9727
esppr@aol.com
