Ford Philanthropy Breaks Ground on New Ford Community Center in Tennessee

Ford Motor Company and Ford Philanthropy last week celebrated the groundbreaking of a new Ford Community Center in Stanton, Tenn., 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.

Dr. Clarice White, project champion and Stanton School alumna, and Mary Culler, president of Ford Philanthropy, tour the future Ford Community Center site on a recent visit to Stanton.

“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,” Culler said. “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,” said 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.”