A gentleman named Eric recently visited Ed Koehn Ford of Wayland, Michigan to look into purchasing a new vehicle. A salesperson mentioned the dealership would be hosting a blood drive the next day. Eric came back, rolled up his sleeve, and shared that he was donating in honor of his son, who had cancer.

His story is one of many that unfolded this summer when 13 Greater Michigan Ford dealerships partnered with the American Red Cross to host life-saving “Roll Up and Give” blood drives as part of Ford Building Together, our new company initiative that combines philanthropic giving, employee passion, Ford’s expertise and dealer network to build stronger, more resilient communities. The goal was simple: bring people together through our dealer network to give back during a time when donations typically drop.

Shanna Phillips, executive assistant to owner Aaron Koehn, saw the impact of this collective effort firsthand. A former Red Cross employee, she helped champion the drive and was inspired by the dealer team’s outreach to potential donors. “Stories like Eric’s remind us why this matters,” Shanna said. “Nearly everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by a blood donation.”

“I know our roots in our community are strong and they're deep, but this impact blew me away.”

Aaron Cohen, owner, Ed Koehn Ford

Driving Community Impact

The Roll Up and Give campaign achieved outstanding results. Participating dealerships exceeded the typical Red Cross blood drive turnout by an incredible 250%, with about 75% of donors giving blood for the very first time.

“I didn't realize how powerful we could be as dealers,” said Aaron, a board member for the Greater Michigan Ford Dealer Advertising Fund (FDAF), which helped organize the drive. “I know our roots in our community are strong and they're deep, but this impact blew me away.”

This campaign offered a new, hands-on way for both customers and staff to make a meaningful difference, while supporting a Ford Building Together partner.

“Efforts like this are what Ford Building Together is all about: coming together to help support our local communities,” said Mary Culler, president of Ford Philanthropy, who joined Ed Koehn Ford for their blood drive. “To Aaron Koehn and the Ed Koehn Ford team, all the participating Ford dealers, and our long-standing partner American Red Cross — a big thank you.”

Ready to Roll Up Your Sleeve?

The stories from this collaborative Ford dealer effort with the American Red Cross remind us that a single donation can change someone’s life. Already, Greater Michigan Ford dealers are thinking about how to exceed the results of this year, offering more opportunities to participate and impact lives.Are you ready to roll up your sleeve?

Caroline Pernot is the director of Global Dealer Community Engagement at Ford.