Celebrating the Groundbreaking of the new Ford Community Center in Stanton

Since the announcement of BlueOval City in 2021, Ford Philanthropy has proudly partnered with the Stanton community to build a shared vision for a brighter future. Working closely with local leaders and organizations like the United Way of West Tennessee, Ford Philanthropy is helping create meaningful opportunities for growth and connection in the region. Friday marked a significant milestone with the groundbreaking of the new Ford Community Center located at the historic site of the Stanton School.

The Ford Community Center will repurpose a building that has been a cornerstone of the community for decades. Originally built in 1948 to serve African American students before desegregation, the school later became a Head Start program that nurtured young minds for over 40 years. Now, this beloved landmark is entering a new chapter–as a hub for economic opportunities and essential resources for residents of Stanton, as well as the nearby communities of Brownsville, Covington and Somerville.

Investing in West Tennessee

The new Center will offer a collaborative space for nonprofits, community members, and local leaders to support long-term residents. Anchored by United Way of West Tennessee, the Center will provide services focused on economic mobility, food security, physical mobility and entrepreneurship services.

These services, designed with and for local residents, will help ensure that the community thrives alongside the development of BlueOval City. The goal of the Center is to serve as a “front door” to the rich diversity of services already available in the area, add others that are needed, and ultimately help people thrive.

With funding from the state of Tennessee’s Connected Community Facilities Grant, a Historic Development Grant and matching funds from Ford Philanthropy, the schoolhouse will undergo a full historic renovation and upgrades to modern infrastructure including broadband access to serve as the Ford Community Center.

“Today's groundbreaking is the culmination of many hours of listening, learning and collaborating with local residents, nonprofits and community leaders about what’s needed most, and we can’t wait to realize the full potential of this unique space,” Mary Culler, President of Ford Philanthropy, said during the groundbreaking event. “By uniting resources, services and, most importantly, people, our aim is to create meaningful opportunities for growth and connection for all residents in the area, now and for years to come.”

Building Together

To better understand local needs, Ford facilitated more than 2,500 hours of listening sessions to help inform and co-create meaningful solutions that enhance the lives of West Tennessee's long-term residents. 

Ford Philanthropy invites the community and Ford employees to remain actively involved—whether by volunteering, attending events, or sharing feedback. We look forward to helping make the Ford Philanthropy Community Center a vibrant hub of opportunity, growth, culture and innovation, serving the Stanton and neighboring communities for years to come.

Partners

This project was made possible by the collaboration and support of the following partners, including Town of Stanton, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, The Cannery, Feonix Mobility Rising, Le Bonheur Community Health and Well-being, Mid-South Food Bank, Stanton Health Center, theCO, Vision Haywood, West Tennessee Legal Services, YMCA, Haywood County Schools, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Haywood County, Lauderdale County, Tipton County and the Town of Brownsville.