Ford Motor Company will be the platinum sponsor of the fourth annual Jazz on the Grass benefit on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at the Sherman Oaks, California home of Lynne and Oz Scott. The star-studded event will benefit the Jackie Robinson Foundation, a college scholarship organization founded in 1973 to perpetuate Jackie Robinson's legacy by providing four-year college grants as well as extensive mentoring and leadership development training to academically gifted minority students.
Legendary artists James Ingram, Brenda Russell and Patrice Rushen will be headlining this year's benefit. Performances will also include surprise guest artists. Previous JAZZ on the Grass artists have included Lalah Hathaway, Marcus Miller, Brian McKnight, Dave Koz, Jeffrey Osborne, Patti Austin, and George Duke. Pat Prescott of 94.7 The Wave will once again serve as Mistress of Ceremonies.
Ford Motor Company has a long history of supporting scholarship programs throughout the U.S., and in 2004 endowed a scholarship in honor of tennis legend Althea Gibson through the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The scholarship's first recipient, Carolyn Wright, graduated from Harvard University in June 2008 last year with a B.A. in International Affairs.
"Ford is committed to empowering people with the educational resources they need to succeed," said Pamela Alexander, director, Ford Motor Company Fund. "It has been a focus of our philanthropy throughout our 100+ year history."
“Our alliance with major corporate supporters like Ford has contributed to the Foundation's nearly four decades of success,” said JRF Associate Vice President Nichol Whiteman. “We applaud our sponsors for their incredible commitment to preparing a generation of leaders who will lead our nation into its next chapter of greatness.”
Tickets to this exclusive event are on sale until September 6th for the “Early Bird” price of $250. For additional information or to purchase tickets to this limited-seating engagement, please contact ELMS Entertainment at 323-936-5052. For artist updates, performer biographies, or to purchase tickets online, please visit www.jackierobinson.org/events/lajazz.php
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 205,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.
About the Jackie Robinson Foundation
Founded in 1973 in honor of civil rights activist and baseball legend Jackie Robinson, JRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and provides four-year college scholarships to minority students who demonstrate academic distinction, leadership capacity, and financial need. Transcending financial assistance, the Foundation equips its Scholars with a comprehensive set of support services including mentoring, career guidance and practical life skills helping them succeed in both undergraduate and graduate studies. In the 2008-2009 academic year, the Jackie Robinson Foundation supported 279 Scholars and Fellows attending 97 different college and universities across the United States including Harvard University, MIT, UCLA, Spelman College, Cornell University and Howard University.
Please log onto www.jackierobinson.org for updates on performers and other event information.
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