Zipcar and Ford Exceed $1M in Donations to Student Organizations through Annual "Students with Drive" Grant Program

BOSTON, Oct. 02, 2017 -- Zipcar, world’s leading car-sharing network and the largest provider of campus car-sharing programs, and Ford Motor Company, today announced that their "Students with Drive" grant program surpassed a significant milestone of $1 million donated to student organizations over the past six years. The program seeks to further the efforts of student organizations making positive impacts on campuses and communities. The grants consist of access to Zipcar vehicles at no cost, cash for specific organizational needs and scholarship money donated to the school.

Ethan Taswell, Executive Board Member of the Brown Outing Club, accepts the golden steering wheel and $25,000 in prizes from Zipcar and Ford. The Brown Outing Club is the 2016-2017 grand prize winner of the Students with Drive grant program. Zipcar presents the Brown Outing Club with the golden steering wheel and $25,000 in prizes as this year's grand prize winner of the Students with Drive grant program.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/84d9f1dd-fd08-4d28-a209-059689a016d8

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“Student organizations are key drivers of positive change on and off campus and an important part of our mission to make colleges and universities better places to live, work and study,” said Kate Pope Smith, director of integrated marketing, Zipcar. “We’re incredibly proud of our annual ‘Students with Drive’ program and the impact student winners have made on campuses and in their local communities, from providing innovative models to combat hunger, to mentoring elementary students and getting students outside to connect with nature.”

Ford Motor Company and Zipcar first launched the “Students with Drive” grant program in October 2011 to help student organizations continue to fuel change on and off campus. Together, the two companies have helped more than 400 student organizations at schools across the United States, from California to Connecticut.

“At Ford, our vision is to make people’s lives better by changing the way the world moves,” said MJ Ahmed, Ford U.S. marketing manager. “Partnering with Zipcar and the ‘Students with Drive’ program does exactly that, by giving back and donating to organizations that help students Go Further.”

This year’s winner, Brown University’s Outing Club, enables students to get off campus and explore the outdoors. With the grant money from Ford and Zipcar, the Outing Club will be able to provide even more students with outdoor experiences. The Outing Club will receive $5,000 in Zipcar credits to be used for memberships and driving, $10,000 to put toward their cause and $10,000 to be awarded to Brown University.

“With Zipcar, we’re able to really increase the number of trips we run and increase the capacity of those trips and bring outdoor access to more students at Brown,” said Clem Aeppli, a member of the Brown Outing Club.

Additional 2017 winners include:

• Second place ($13,000 in grants): Strong Women, Strong Girls, Duquesne University
• Third place ($9,000 in grants): Campus Kitchens Project, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• Fourth – tenth place ($3,000 in grants each):
  -  Johns Hopkins Outdoors Club, Johns Hopkins University
  -  Seven Mile Music, University of Michigan
  -  Quest Scholars, Pomona College
  -  Student Aircraft Builders, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  -  Side by Side, Stanford University
  -  Northeastern Habitat for Humanity, Northeastern University
  -  Hispanic Organization for Latin Americans, Babson College

Visit www.zipcar.com/studentswithdrive for more information on the program or to enter a student group for a shot at $25,000.

About Zipcar
Zipcar is the world’s leading car-sharing network, driven by a mission to enable simple and responsible urban living. With its wide variety of self-service vehicles available by the hour or day, Zipcar operates in urban areas and university campuses in over 500 cities and towns across Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Iceland, Taipei, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Zipcar offers the most comprehensive, most convenient and most flexible car-sharing options available. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:CAR), a leading global provider of mobility solutions. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. To expand its business model, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities with investments in electrification, autonomy and mobility. Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products and services, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Ford Motor Company and Zipcar Collaboration
Ford Motor Company and Zipcar announced a strategic alliance in August 2011, establishing Ford as Zipcar's largest college and university vehicle supplier. The first-of-its-kind partnership introduces a new generation of drivers to Ford vehicles with the highly fuel-efficient Focus and Escape now part of Zipcar's existing fleet of environmentally friendly, reliable and fun vehicles.

Through the Ford deal, Zipcar is able to make its car-sharing service even more cost-effective than ever for college students with $10 off the $35 annual membership fee for new college and university members, plus $1 off Zipcar’s hourly rates on any Ford vehicle at participating colleges and universities.

Media Contact:
Katelyn Chesley
Public Relations Manager, Zipcar
[email protected]
617.678.7206