(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -Ford Motor Company presented leaders from Mann-Grandstaff VAMC and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Transportation Network with a new Ford Flex utility vehicle to help transport disabled, injured or ill veterans to their medical appointments Tuesday.
The DAV Transportation Network is a volunteer-driven fleet that ensures veterans can access the full range of health benefits available to them. It is especially vital for veterans served by medical centers with a large catchment area like Mann-Grandstaff. MGVAMC’s care spans over 66,000 square miles across three states (Washington, Idaho and Montana), and volunteers put in about 200 hours per month transporting veterans to and from the facility.
The DAV is always looking for volunteers to help drive veterans to and from appointments. You can learn how to get involved by clicking here.
Ford Motor Company donated $200,000 to add eight Ford Flex vehicles to the national DAV Transportation Network fleet this year. Since 1997, Ford has donated 223 vehicles to the transportation program that serves approximately 700,000 veterans nationwide per year. It’s part of a longtime partnership started 96 years ago, when Henry Ford provided Model Ts to transport veterans to the organization’s 1922 national conference.