CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and Zipcar, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIP), the world's leading car-sharing network, today announced the culmination of the first year of the "Students with Drive" grant program, which donated a total of $300,000 to student organizations on university campuses throughout the United States. Today, in an event at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Zipcar and Ford recognized UCLA's Choral Activities at the as the "Students with Drive" grand prize winner.
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Through the "Students with Drive" grant program, which first launched in October 2011, Ford and Zipcar provided student organizations at eligible Zipcar colleges and universities with free Zipcar memberships and driving credits to support their activities on campus and in their local communities. Each month, five student organizations in each of the five categories (Academics, Arts, Athletics, Community Service and Student Life) working to make a difference were awarded $5,500 each in Zipcar credits. Zipcar and Ford also recognized 10 runner-up organizations each month with $1,000 each in Zipcar credits.
"We know that today's students are active with local organizations in their communities and we were pleased to be able to help them give back through the 'Students with Drive' program," said Amy Marentic, Ford group marketing manager. "Ford's alliance with Zipcar not only provides students with access to Ford's newest fuel-efficient vehicles but it allows them to use these vehicles when supporting local organizations."
"One of our core values at Zipcar is to 'have an impact,' and the organizations that have been recognized by 'Students with Drive' over the course of the year should be very proud of the work they are doing to make their campuses and communities better places," said Scott Griffith, Zipcar chairman and CEO. "On behalf of Zipcar, I'd like to congratulate our Grand Prize winner Choral Activities and the UCLA community on the work that these students are doing to change our world for the better. We're pleased to help such worthy organizations achieve their missions through the use of Zipcar's car sharing program."
UCLA's Choral Activities is a group of vocal ensembles with a growing community outreach program. With the grant money from Ford and Zipcar, Choral Activities plans to bolster the UCLA Choral Outreach Program, which serves inner-city schools in California and across the nation. The program seeks to encourage and inspire students to pursue musical and artistic endeavors and higher education.