---

Ford Gives Holiday Greeting Cards a Second Life at Detroit Auto Show

19 December 2000

Ford Gives Holiday Greeting Cards a Second Life at Detroit Auto Show

    DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 19 For the eighth year, Ford Motor
Company and St. Jude's Ranch for Children are teaming up to collect
used greeting cards for recycling -- and they're counting on visitors from the
2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit to help.
    The children's charity recycles the old cards into new cards for sale
throughout the year.  The St. Jude's children will cut, trim, and paste the
fronts of the used cards onto new backings, and sell them as a fund-raiser for
the non-profit, non-sectarian group's program for abandoned and neglected
children and teens.
    "Ford is the single largest contributor of cards to our 'Learn-to-Earn'
program which helps to break that welfare syndrome.  It gives disadvantaged
children a second chance," explains Father William Cantrell, St. Jude's
executive director.
    Over the past eight years, Ford has contributed more than two-and-a-half
million cards for the charity, which is the largest collection by any company
or organization in the 30-year history of the program.  This year, Ford
volunteers are also working to help sell thousands of recycled cards to raise
money for the children.
    "Recycled greeting cards are just another example of our broad commitment
to protecting the environment through recycling efforts," explains Andy Acho,
director of Environmental Outreach and Strategy for Ford Motor Company.  "This
program is not only helping Mother Nature, but the children from St. Jude as
well.  It instills a work ethic and the children derive self-esteem by turning
something of little use into a valuable commodity."
    Ford is in the final year of a 4-year, $200,000 Challenge Grant to help
St. Jude's expand nationally and build additional campuses.  As a result of
the Ford Challenge, other companies and foundations have similarly pledged
millions of dollars.
    This year, the collection team from Nevada -- consisting of six children
and their adult chaperons -- will be collecting cards from visitors in the
Ford Motor Company Trustmark area of the North American International Auto
Show in Detroit.
    Ford volunteers help collect cards not only from plant and office
employees nationwide, but also from its suppliers and overseas facilities as
well.
    "People everywhere are recognizing the many benefits of this program,"
said Acho.  "We receive calls frequently checking the status of the program
for the upcoming auto show in Detroit.  People send cards from all across the
nation to show their support.  In 2000, we collected more than a half million
cards, primarily from our employees and visitors to the auto show."
    Individuals wishing to purchase the recycled cards from St. Jude's -- both
holiday and all-occasion cards are available -- should write to St. Jude's
Ranch for Children, P.O. Box 60100, Boulder City, Nevada, 89006-0100; order by
phone at 800-492-3562; or visit the website at http://www.stjudesranch.org .