Any of this stuff that floats around can easily be checked at
http://www.snopes2.com. If you just search for "Ford", about the fifth
listing down will give you a hyperlink to the following information:
Origins: No, the above item did not appear on CNN Headline News; it's a
piece of anonymous Internet flotsam set adrift shortly after the September
11 terrorist attacks on America. Although we don't necessarily endorse the
views expressed in the message quoted above, we took on the
information-gathering task of visiting the web sites of all the automobile
manufacturers listed above (plus a few not on the list), looking for
information about September 11-related relief efforts, and our findings are
reported below.
Important points to keep in mind are:
Our inability to locate information about charitable contributions on any
particular manufacturer's web site does not necessarily mean that
information does not exist on the web site.
The lack of information about charitable contributions on any particular
manufacturer's web site does not necessarily mean that the manufacturer has
made no such contributions.
Manufacturers may also have made contributions above and beyond those listed
on their web sites.
We have made no effort to validate the veracity of the information offered
on manufacturers' web sites; we are simply providing links to their
statements.
In every case where we were unable to find relevant information on a
manufacturer's web site, we contacted the company through their web site and
invited them to respond to this message.
Corrections and additional information supplied by readers and manufacturers
will be applied to this page promptly upon receipt.
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Aston Martin: No information found on web site. (Aston Martin is now owned
by Ford.)
Audi: Includes a press release about Audi's contribution of $100,000 to the
New York Fire Fighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund and other fundraising
efforts.
(Also see the entry for Volkswagen, as the Volkswagen Group includes Audi
and Volkswagen in the United States.)
BMW: Includes press release about BMW Group's donations of $1 million in
cash and ten new BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicles to the Red Cross for
national relief efforts and 100 motorcycles to the New York Police
Department.
Daewoo: No information found on web site.
DaimlerChrysler: Web site says they are committng $10 million to help
children who have lost parents in terrorist attacks
Fiat: No information found on web site.
Ford: Includes detailed page about Ford's participation in the National
Tragedy Relief Effort, including donations of $1 million each to the Red
Cross and the Salvation Army and a program for matching all individual
employee contributions.
General Motors: Includes GM Response To National Tragedy detailing General
Motors' many contributions to organizations assisting September 11 victims,
including donations of $1 million to the American Red Cross and 50
automobiles to the New York City Fire Department.
Honda: A Honda Responds page lists contributions of $1.5 million to the
United Way of New York's "September 11 Fund" and the American Red Cross.
Hyundai: The Hyundai Cares page promises a $300,000 donation to the American
Red Cross.
Isuzu: No information found in Isuzu News section of web site.
Mitsubishi: Page about Contributions to Relief Efforts details Mitsubishi's
contributions to September 11 programs, including $200,000 raised for the
Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Nissan: A page on Nissan's web site announces their $1 million donation to
the American Red Cross and the Twin Towers Fund plus details other forms of
support the company and its employees have put forward.
Porsche: Porsche has announced it will be donating 20% of the proceeds from
its Drive For Hope Cross-Country Trek to the New York Firefighters 9-11
Disaster Relief Fund.
Subaru: A Subaru in the Community page mentions that Subaru and its parent
company, Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. in Japan, have made combined
contributions of cash and equipment totalling approximately $1 million
through the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other relief
organizations.
Suzuki: Opening page includes an American flag link to a page detailing
their contributions, which include matching employees' contribution of
$31,000 with $31,000 of their own and donating SUVs and ATVs at Ground Zero
to aid rescue workers.
Toyota: Toyota was the one automobile company that took the initiative of
contacting us, even though we had not given any indication we would be
writing about this topic. Their page about Toyota's Contributions to the
Relief Effort details a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross and a
program to match similar employee contributions.
Volvo: Opening page of web site includes link to a letter to New York mayor
Rudolph W. Giuliani offering the city the use of Volvo and Mack vehicles and
equipment at the Volvo Group's expense. (Volvo automotive is now owned by
Ford.)
Volkswagen: Includes a press release about VW's donation of 25 vans to the
New York City Fire Department and another press release about the formation
of a foundation to assist victims of terrorist attacks in the United States,
which will be initially funded with $2 million dollars from Volkswagen.
Last updated: 30 January 2002
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