Today, Ford announced that a year after they launched the Good Neighbor Plan for West Tennessee, a $9 million investment into the communities that surround BlueOval City, they have exceeded their goal and there is more to come.
In a letter addressed to “our West Tennessee Neighbors”, Ford announced they have already invested nearly $11.7 million in West Tennessee and reached this milestone much earlier than anticipated.
The letter is cosigned by Ford Director of Community Relations Gabby Bruno, President of Ford Philanthropy Mary Culler and Co-Chair of Ford’s Equitable Growth Advisory Council Emma Covington.
“The result is real-world impact that we’re seeing right in our backyard,” the letter says. “Since the launch of the Good Neighbor Plan, we’ve focused our efforts on the things that matter most to you.”
Areas of investment include community gathering spaces, community preservation, protecting the environment, literacy programs, support for farmers and businesses, workforce development, youth programs and Ford Philanthropy partnerships to remove barriers and expand opportunities.
Over the past year, Ford has renovated playgrounds and community centers, provided upgrades to emergency radio systems for first responders, opened the Reading Success Academy in Covington, provided legal services to secure family land, contributed to restoring the beautiful Hatchie River, provided scholarships and hands-on STEM experiences for students, and worked with the Boys and Girls Club to provide safe, modern spaces where kids can just be kids. These are among a handful of the many projects listed in a 14 page progress report made available from Ford.
“While we are proud of what we have accomplished together so far, we want to be clear, we aren’t stopping here,” the letter says. “We can’t wait to see what we build moving forward together.”
The Ford Good Neighbor Plan is the largest community investment by a company so far in rural West Tennessee. That is on top of $21 million Ford invested before the Good Neighbor Plan, for a total of more than $32 million.
You can see the letter and progress report for the Ford Good Neighbor Plan for West Tennessee at the link below:
https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2026/ford-good-neighbor-plan-west-tennessee-update
