The Air Canada Foundation Celebrates its 10-Year Anniversary with Renewed Commitment in Helping Kids Spread Their Wings

 The Air Canada Foundation (ACF) is today celebrating its milestone 10-year anniversary focusing on the health and well-being of children and youth. Since its inception in 2012, the Foundation has positively impacted the lives of thousands of children through its various programs, partnerships, and initiatives.

Over the past decade, the ACF has provided support to more than 200 Canadian charities each year, connecting children to medical care, alleviating child poverty and helping children fulfill their dreams. The Foundation has also offered continued support to major health-related causes that benefit Canadians and is an active participant in international humanitarian relief activities.

"The Air Canada Foundation represents the heart of our organization. Its impact over the last decade is immeasurable, and I can only imagine the continued success it will have moving forward," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer at Air Canada. "I'm so grateful to employees, retirees, volunteers, customers and all partners for their commitment and dedication over the years. The Foundation can count on me and Air Canada's unwavering support. I will continue to enable opportunities for employees to get involved, and I welcome even more partners and customers to join us. Let's keep working together and improve the lives of children and families."

"I am proud to be celebrating today a significant milestone for the Foundation recognizing that every day represents a breakthrough for children and families undergoing difficult times." said Priscille LeBlanc, Chair of the Air Canada Foundation. "Despite the recent challenging times, the Air Canada

Foundation relentlessly pursued efforts to help Canadian families in need in creative and different ways and we look forward to seeing even more positive impact in the years to come."

Air Canada has always played an active role in serving and helping the communities across Canada and around the world, but the 2010 earthquake in Haiti was the catalyst for the establishment of the Air Canada Foundation. The airline deployed a humanitarian mission destined to both bring life-saving medical equipment to the population and help with orphanages, bringing Haitian children back to Canada for adoption. The airline quickly realized how powerful travel could be and how it could enable children to thrive for a better life.

Achievements since 2012

The Air Canada Foundation is committed to giving back to children and communities through various programs and partnerships. Since 2012 it has:

Donated more than $12 million in grants to Canadian-registered charities focused on the health and well-being of children.

Donated more than 11,000 airline tickets to charitable organizations to support fundraising activities or program development.

Made possible more than 9,000 flights to make children's dreams come true.

Looking ahead to the next decade

As the Air Canada Foundation moves into its second decade, it is committed to continue helping kids spread their wings through its three new pillars:

Wings of Health: Supporting pediatric hospitals, health organizations, medical transportation and treatment

Wings of Protection: Supporting food security, child reunification, human trafficking survivors, humanitarian aid organizations and working against poverty.

Wings to Dream: Supporting wish-granting for seriously ill, physically challenged and impoverished children.

To learn more about the Air Canada Foundation, including its programs and partnerships, please visit www.aircanada.com/foundation.

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

Air France Foundation arranged a meeting on the tarmac with Thomas Pesquet for sick children supported by the Association L’Envol

To mark its 30th anniversary, the Air France Foundation welcomed fifteen sick children supported by the association L’Envol. The children were invited with their families to discover the behind-the-scenes activities of Air France at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, and to meet French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, one of the Foundation’s administrators.

After a dedicated boarding at terminal 2F, the group boarded an Airbus A350, the latest generation long-haul aircraft which is the new jewel in the Air France fleet and embodies its commitment to sustainable development. The programme included a tour of the aircraft, followed by a meeting with Air France staff who contribute to the airline’s hub operations every day. Everyone was able to talk to a check-in agent, a ramp agent, pilots, a flight attendant, a mechanic or a Servair chef (Air France’s catering service provider), to discover their respective worlds and careers.  

The highlight of the afternoon was the opportunity for the children to meet Thomas Pesquet and share a snack. The astronaut talked about his career as an Air France pilot, joining the European Space Agency, and his missions on board and then at the controls of the International Space Station.

This day of sharing and discovery shed new light on air and space careers for these children. While it may have given rise to new vocations, it was also an opportunity for the Air France Foundation to renew its commitment to children, allowing them to forget their illness for a day.

THE AIR FRANCE FOUNDATION

Set up in 1992, the Air France Foundation studies, selects and finances educational projects for children who are ill, disabled or in great difficulty in the countries where Air France operates. Because education changes the world, the Foundation has developed links with international associations, based on the conviction that access to schooling, training, leisure activities, culture and the environment is the best way to tackle the great journey of life. 

Over the past 30 years, the Air France Foundation has facilitated the implementation of 1,568 projects, mostly sponsored by Air France employees.

L’ENVOL is a non-profit association which organises programmes for sick young people aged 6 to 25 and their families. For 25 years, it has helped them find strength and confidence in themselves to enjoy life to the full during or after their illness and to never feel alone. L’ENVOL provides free support to more than 4,000 young people every year, organising special trips, hospital workshops, recreational outings and activity kits.

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

Air Transat to carry Ukrainian refugees to Canada

Canadian holiday airline, Air Transat has announced its partnership with 4Ukraine.ca to help relocate Ukrainians displaced by war coming to Canada. Air Transat will be providing available seats to Ukrainian nationals on their flights operating from Paris and London mainly to Montréal or Toronto. 4Ukraine.ca will be covering taxes and airport charges. In addition to operating a donation-based airfare program, 4Ukraine.ca includes a rigorous vetting process, host family background checks, and job prospecting for Ukrainians relocating to Canada.

"We are thrilled to work with Air Transat on this initiative," said 4Ukraine.ca co-founder and director, Anna Chif. "This partnership means the world to Ukrainians wanting to come to Canada. Air Transat's offer, combined with our rigorous process and our private donations, provides a viable solution that ensures Ukrainians coming to Canada are safe and prepared to live here. The arrangement will give us access to a significant number of seats and allows us to exponentially increase the impact of our donations."

Air Transat, which has already successfully helped several families fly to Canada, is eager to continue supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. "It was important for us to support the relocation of Ukrainians with an organization that facilitates every step of the relocation process, with a focus on ensuring the safety of this vulnerable population that has already faced significant trauma," said Transat President and Chief Executive Officer Annick Guérard.

This partnership complements the fundraising campaign launched by Transat in March amongst its employees and customers to assist SOS Children's Villages, a long-time charitable partner that has rapidly scaled up its response in Ukraine to meet the critical needs of vulnerable children and families affected by the conflict. "By adding our partnership with 4Ukraine.ca to our support to SOS Children's Villages, we are able to lend help to Ukrainians internally displaced in Ukraine, as well as those who have fled the country and wish to relocate to Canada." Added Guérard.

To date, 4Ukraine.ca has raised over $65,000 in donations and secured a partnership with FlightHub for $100,000 worth of flights. To support families and make this offer available to more qualifying Ukrainians, Canadians can donate directly on the 4Ukraine.ca website. Employers looking to hire Ukrainians and individuals wishing to host Ukrainians can find information at 4Ukraine.ca.

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

Drag that jet......

This year, the U.S. mega carrier Delta celebrates 20 years of partnership with the American Cancer Society in the quest to eradicate cancer. Over the past two decades, Delta employees from all over the world have joined forces to host events, raise money and increase awareness for cancer research and prevention. As the American Cancer Society's largest corporate fundraiser, Delta has raised $16 million in the fight against the disease. 

While the support of the American Cancer Society has been ongoing, the airline is excited to have brought back Delta's beloved Relay for Life and Jet Drag events on Wednesday, May 4, after a two-year hiatus.

 A record-breaking 150 Jet Drag teams registered to compete to pull a Boeing 757 the quickest, in addition to more than 60 relay teams, all to support the fight and strength that individuals battling cancer exhibit every day.

The Jet Drag and Relay For Life events were back bigger and better than ever – with 8,000 people attending in person and ultimately raising over $740,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Use the voucher code MAY22FREE to get free delivery in May from Help for Heroes.

 Apply the code at the checkout for UK standard delivery. 

not applicable to international or next day delivery.

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

Lufthansa Group aid organization now active in 24 countries with 17 new projects

Despite the still noticeable effects of the Corona pandemic on project work, The Lufthansa Group’s aid organization is now supporting 17 new projects focusing on education, work and income, including for the first time in Argentina, Italy, Iraq, Cameroon, Colombia and the Philippines. As in the past, the projects were selected from suggestions by employees and are supervised and managed by them on a voluntary basis. In total, help alliance is now involved in 51 aid projects in 24 countries for disadvantaged young people.

“The Corona pandemic has further exacerbated the global education crisis. That’s why there is so much for us to do as an aid organization right now. The new help alliance projects are designed to help provide equal opportunities for children and young people after this difficult time. Education is the key to a successful future,” says Andrea Pernkopf, Managing Director of help alliance.

In the global south, school closures have had a particularly negative impact on the educational opportunities of children and young people. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), insufficient digitization and a lack of equipment prevented at least one-third of students worldwide from learning from home during the pandemic.

Through its work, help alliance is making an important contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of “Quality Education” (SDG 4) and “Decent Work and Economic Growth” (SDG 8).

For detailed information on the 17 new help alliance projects Front Page - help alliance

Germany: New ways to learn to read

The project ensures that children with special needs are not left behind and supports them in learning to read parallel to their school lessons.

Italy: More participation for young people in Milan

The project aims to make children and young people aware of their abilities, potential and skills and to help them develop their talents so that they can consciously choose and shape their future.

Philippines: Best school equipment for Filipino children

By providing school materials, LCD projectors and school meals for disadvantaged children, the project aims to ease the burden on teachers and parents and create an improved learning environment for all students.  

South Africa: Houses of Hope in Cape Town

Ubomi houses offer children and young people from the poorest parts of Cape Town, a place for education, and cultural activities and thus create perspectives beyond the dangers of the township.

Iraq: Running for more self-confidence

Outdoor activities not only promote physical fitness but also offer women and girls the opportunity to develop their skills and competencies. As a result, they gain more self-confidence and contribute to positive change in a war-torn society.

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates site here.

British Airways launches new BA Better World Community Fund to support organisations and projects around the UK

British Airways has launched its new community-based initiative, the BA Better World Community Fund.

The airline is supporting four organisations for its first round of funding, including Fantasy Wings, Global Grooves, Energy Garden and Black2Nature

The fund, which is part of the airline’s BA Better World sustainability programme, will further support organisations and projects that have a positive impact in communities within the UK, enabling British Airways to support projects that deliver benefits for climate, communities, colleagues and nature, all of which align with its sustainability aims. It also enables British Airways to deploy its people and resources to help communities affected by crises.

The BA Better World Community Fund will further support organisations and projects in communities across the UK

The BA Better World Community Fund invites charities and social enterprise groups to apply for funding from the airline via Crowdfunder here, where applications will be reviewed and selected by the Community Governance Board*. Organisations can apply for funds and allocation will be set against criteria that match the sustainability aims of the airline’s BA Better World programme, which includes championing diversity, inclusion and wellbeing, tackling climate change, engaging colleagues in positive action and supporting communities around the world.

Organisations can use the funding to further create a positive impact in their communities, such as by developing a new approach, product or technology, implementing a new initiative or even by expanding existing services to a new area to reach more people.

British Airways has kickstarted the launch by selecting four organisations for its first round of funding through this process, including Fantasy Wings, Global Grooves, Energy Garden and Black2Nature. These projects deliver many benefits, including increasing diversity in the aviation industry, bringing inspirational Carnival arts from around the world to communities in the UK and globally, installing green spaces in London’s urban areas and organising nature camps in the countryside for young people from visible minority ethnic backgrounds.

Lisa Tremble, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability and Chair of the Community Governance Board at British Airways said: “We are really proud to launch this exciting initiative, and as the nation’s flagship carrier airline we know how important it is to continue to connect with and invest in communities.

“We have supported our colleagues and customers in charitable giving for decades and look forward to doing, even more, to make a difference and offer life-changing opportunities to many community-led projects in the UK.”

Simon Deverell, Founder and Creative Director at Crowdfunder said: “We are delighted to be powering BA's Community Fund programme. At Crowdfunder, we believe it's hugely important to connect corporates with communities and bring impactful funding opportunities to those who wouldn't otherwise receive them. We look forward to seeing the amazing projects that will become possible through this fund.”

British Airways has supported community-led initiatives across the UK and around the world for more than thirty years and this new Community Fund adds another important element to the airline’s portfolio of community support. 

The new Community Fund complements the airline’s Flying Start programme, the airline’s global charity partnership with Comic Relief that has raised more than £26 million since it first began in 2010, helping more than 925,000 people in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the UK and around the world. British Airways has offered colleagues the opportunity to donate to any charity of their choice through its Payroll Giving scheme. It has also worked with the Disaster’s Emergency Committee in times of crisis, including providing continued support for the Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal and flew 45 tonnes of medical aid to India during the height of the pandemic last year.

Follow this site here.

BA sponsors 2021 Diana Legacy Awards again.....

British Airways is proud to have flown 15 young award winners from around the world to London for the 2021 Diana Legacy Awards as its official travel partner. The past and present winners travelled on British Airways flights from countries including the US, India, Italy and Germany to attend the prestigious event.

The Awards have been established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, who would have celebrated her 60th birthday this year and British Airways has supported the Diana Legacy Awards since 2017.  The ceremony, which recognises 20 exceptional young people who are inspiring the next generation by leading and mobilising social change in their communities, took place at Althorp House yesterday evening and were hosted by Diana’s brother, Lord Spencer.

The winners were selected by a prestigious judging panel, including Lord Spencer and British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, Sean Doyle, who said: “We were delighted to partner with The Diana Legacy Awards again this year and were honoured to fly many past and present winners to London for the ceremony.

“At British Airways we want to play our part in making a better, more connected world for everyone to live in, supporting communities in the UK and globally. It was truly inspirational to hear the stories of these outstanding individuals and we are proud to be championing the next generation of young leaders, driving positive change within their communities.”

Budget airline Norwegian and UNICEF Norway extend collaboration

Norwegian and UNICEF Norway extend collaboration

The budget airline Norwegian has had a partnership with UNICEF Norway for around 15 years, which has contributed to various humanitarian and fundraising campaigns over the years.  The airline says it has given more than NOK 50 million to the charity during that time, however it should be indicated that over 90% of that has been from passengers and staff. 

Desperate for good news, the airline's new CEO Geir Karlsen said “I am proud to extend the collaboration with UNICEF Norway. Internally in Norwegian, the partnership creates a lot of commitment, and we see that our contributions are yielding results. Through fundraising campaigns from employees, donations from customers and humanitarian campaigns in collaboration with the Norwegian authorities, we have together contributed to giving children all over the world better-living conditions”. 

Aviation Capital Group becomes a Silver Level sponsor of rapid-response nonprofit organization

Aviation Capital Group, a leading aircraft asset manager has confirmed its sponsorship at the “Silver Level” of Airlink, a rapid-response nonprofit organization that coordinates with airlines and non-governmental organizations to provide free and heavily subsidized airlift to a network of over 130 humanitarian relief nonprofit organizations supporting communities in the aftermath of natural and man-made disasters worldwide.

“The global aviation industry connects the world.  Airlink’s mission underscores how this connectivity can be harnessed to bring critical relief to communities in desperate need.  ACG’s core values are grounded in social responsibility and we are proud to support Airlink in its service to these communities,” said Tom Baker, CEO and president of ACG.

“We are thrilled that Aviation Capital Group has become an Airlink sponsor,” said Steven J. Smith, President and CEO of Airlink. “I want to thank the ACG team for their generous support, which will help bring humanitarian aid and hope to millions of people across the globe.” 

Airlink provides free and heavily subsidized flights and air transport for pre-screened nonprofits to deliver disaster responders and supplies in the wake of humanitarian crises worldwide. Its network includes more than 130 aid organizations and 47 commercial and charter airlines. Its first mission was in response to the Haiti earthquake. Since its inception in 2010, Airlink has provided flights for nearly 8,000 relief workers and transported more than 4,000,000 pounds of humanitarian cargo. In 2020 the humanitarian aid Airlink moved assisted 5.5 million people.

More top stories you might be interested in.....

Follow this site here.

The JetBlue Foundation opens the doors for autumn grant applications

JetBlue has announced the next granting cycle from the JetBlue Foundation, its charity focused on increasing diversity within the aviation industry’s talent pipeline. Educational programs with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and aviation is now accepting applications, until 1st November 2021.

“Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic is a renewed global spotlight on the importance of science and technology,” said Ursula Hurley, president of the JetBlue Foundation. “Despite the ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic, the JetBlue Foundation has continued to offer non-stop support to future aviators, including virtual programming, mentorship and resources. This support has directly helped several budding STEM educational programs keep their doors open. We’re focused on empowering students, providing access, and helping to remove barriers to entry into careers in aviation. This, in turn, creates opportunities for a more diverse future for our industry.”

The JetBlue Foundation is the first airline foundation focused solely on supporting aviation and STEM education and seeks out programs that offer programming geared toward communities traditionally underrepresented in these areas, including women and girls, racial/ethnic minority groups and veterans.

The JetBlue Foundation is independent from JetBlue and has a separate Board of Directors and an Advisory Committee, both comprised of JetBlue crewmembers from across the airline. Grants are provided directly from the JetBlue Foundation. Although the JetBlue Foundation is separate from JetBlue, both are aligned in efforts to help diversify the STEM fields that fuel the airline. The Foundation is company-sponsored, with supplemental support coming from select JetBlue business partners and tax-deductible donations directly from JetBlue crewmembers who are interested in nurturing students’ STEM interests and inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals.

‘Change for Good’ continues to support children’s education - HK$1.56 million in 2020 despite huge disruption to global air travel

Cathay Pacific and UNICEF HK raised HK$1.56 million in 2020 despite huge disruption to global air travel

Cathay Pacific Airways and the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF HK) announced this week that the ‘Change for Good’ (CFG) inflight fundraising programme raised a total of HK$1.56 million over the 2020 programme period.

Last year was especially difficult for the whole world. COVID-19, and the resultant travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in place around the world, brought about an unprecedented disruption of the global air travel market, and the repercussions have been huge. As all CFG donations comprise spare change collected from passengers travelling on Cathay Pacific flights, the donations raised this year by the CFG programme were undoubtedly a hard-won result thanks to the unremitting efforts of all parties.

Since the onset of the pandemic, many schools temporarily closed leaving children facing a global learning crisis. More than half of the world’s children and young people lack digital connectivity, which affects their access to remote learning. UNICEF and its partners are working to adopt and adapt technology to provide distance learning and help schools reopen safely. The CFG donations will be used for UNICEF’s “Schools for Asia” programme to keep children learning amidst the pandemic. Around one month’s worth of donations to the CFG programme will also be allocated to the Cathay Pacific Wheelchair Bank, which aims to improve the mobility of children suffering from severe neuromuscular diseases in Hong Kong.

Delta TechOps employee and veteran ships out 7,000th care package to military - video

Photo Delta

In a 24/7 operation, it is not unusual to spot a group of determined employees hustling about a hangar at 4:30 a.m. This time, they’re not on the clock. Rather, they’ve come in hours before their day shift to benefit strangers they may never meet, halfway around the world.  

The mission? Operation Care Package, a grassroots effort to pack and send goods to our service members abroad. Mark Norris, a 35-year Delta TechOps mechanic and Marine Corps veteran, started the project four years ago. Mark and his wife Doreta’s passion has motivated thousands of hours of volunteered service and generosity of Delta employees. In the early hours of September 8, they packed up and sealed their 7,000th care package.

This connection to military men and women is personal for the Norris family. The couple’s son is an active-duty Marine and through his connections, requests submitted by Delta employees, and word-of-mouth, Operation Care Package receives the names and addresses of individuals and groups of service members from all branches of the U.S. Military.

The process is simple, the addressee’s sacrifice is not. Mark and Doreta fill several shopping carts full of non-perishable food, personal care items, and even save space for some fun items like yo-yos and footballs to entertain service members during downtime. The supplies are then delivered to TechOps, where wonderful volunteers (who have no issue with a 4:30 AM call time) package and label the boxes, and then load them up for the post office – all before putting in a full day’s work.

When Operation Care Package began in 2017, the group was sending about 60 boxes per week with Doreta handwriting labels and custom forms. About two years ago, they moved to a monthly cadence -- sending packages to several addresses with 25 – 30 packages per address. The items and shipping costs quickly add up – most shipments average $2,000.  Funds are donated by Delta employees from all divisions and across the network. Many of Mark’s TechOps colleagues donate time and money every week toward supporting the operation.

United Airlines has become the first U.S. carrier to take Coronavirus COVID-19 vaccines into Ghana

The U.S. mega carrier, United has become the first U.S. carrier to take COVID-19 vaccines into Ghana with the support of its partners at UNICEF and DSV. This past weekend, the airline has flown over 1 million doses of vaccines from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Accra (ACC) for local distribution.

Providing equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is key to bringing this pandemic to an end. United is honoured to be a part of UNICEF’s Humanitarian Initiative, COVAX and is committed to doing everything it can to bring these critically needed shipments to communities all over the world.

More top stories you might be interested in.....

Follow this site here.

Southwest Airlines Donates $150,000 to Disaster Relief Organizations

                      Southwest Airlines has announced a donation of $150,000 to its national disaster relief partners, American Red Cross, Feeding America®, and Team Rubicon. This financial commitment is fulfilled through the Southwest Airlines® Foundation, a corporate-advised fund within the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Southwest Airlines is pleased to partner annually with American Red Cross, Feeding America, and Team Rubicon, to support efforts focused on preparedness, response, and resilience. The carrier is providing a $50,000 grant to each of these organizations, to assist with relief operations from the recent refugee resettlements, wildfires, earthquakes, and tropical storms including the latest, Hurricane Ida.

In an effort to provide the highest level of support to the community, Southwest invites its Customers and Employees to join these relief efforts through its Rapid Rewards® points promotion running today, Sept. 1, 2021, through Oct. 4, 2021. Rapid Rewards Members who donate a minimum of $25 to the American Red Cross, Feeding America, or Team Rubicon, will receive 20 Rapid Rewards points for every dollar donated*. Visit Southwest.com to donate to one or more of the organizations working on the frontlines providing much-needed relief to impacted communities.

Volga-Dnepr delivered over 110 tons of essential cargo to Porte-au-Prince following the devastating earthquake in Haiti

Volga-Dnepr Group - one of the international leaders for humanitarian logistics, has delivered over 110 tons of essential cargo to Porte-au-Prince following the devastating earthquake in Haiti which hit the county on the 14th of August.

The Group was able to adapt its fleet of versatile freighters and organize two charter flights – aboard An-124-100 and Il-76TD-90VD – to deliver relief cargo which included tents, water purifiers, mobile kitchens and general cargo will help the national population to overcome the difficult times and stay healthy.

Pauli Immonen, Deputy Director Healthcare and Humanitarian, highlights: ‘In times of emergency, there is no time to waste - this is the rule of thumb we follow when we get humanitarian requests. Thanks to aligned and long-standing relations with freight forwarders, brokers, NGOs, humanitarian agencies, airport authorities and other stakeholders we guarantee a fast and seamless response and organize life-saving air transport to almost any region or country of the world’.

Those first two flights from Madrid and Liege Airport had cargo from several United Nations agencies, national and International Red Crosses and many International Non-Governmental Organizations supported by several European Governments. The Group keeps on working with the partners to transport other essential cargo to Haiti and plans on operating more flights to the region in need.

The Group’s emergency aid and relief operations date back to the 1990s when it started organizing its charter flights with relief cargo aboard to help population in needs to overcome the consequences of natural and man-made disasters.

More top stories you might be interested in.....

Follow this site here.

American Launches Fundraising Initiative to Help Cancer Patients Become Long-Term Survivors

                           In the fifth year of its collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C), American Airlines is launching a month-long fundraising initiative to support SU2C’s effort to make every cancer patient a long-term survivor. When American Airlines AAdvantage® members in the United States donate $25 or more on StandUpToCancer.org/aa, they will receive 25 AAdvantage miles per dollar donated.

The latest initiative from American will support SU2C and its mission to accelerate the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. To date, American and its customers have raised more than $10 million for SU2C to support innovative therapies, treatments and research for more than a dozen types of cancer.

Over the last five years, American and its team members have committed to Standing Up for those who are impacted by cancer through fundraising initiatives and events, as well as developing a special SU2C livery featuring 22,627 names of cancer survivors, patients and those we have lost to cancer.

“We know that our customers and team members are passionate about supporting Stand Up To Cancer because many of them have been impacted by cancer,” said Ron Defeo, Senior Vice President, Global Engagement. “We receive a lot of feedback and hear their stories of survival and perseverance. This fundraising initiative is one effort to ensure we live up to our purpose of caring for people on life’s journey.”

Flight Attendant Cody Summers is a breast cancer survivor and one of many team members who has shared her cancer story. Now three years cancer-free, Summers is living proof that advances in cancer research and treatment can help save lives.

“Despite my breast cancer diagnosis, I chose to fight. I had a strong support system who stood by me every step of the way,” Summers said. “At the end of the day, my cancer journey was just one chapter in my story, and the funds we’re raising are so important because it will ultimately help people just like me.”

Check out more of Cody’s story below and visit StandUpToCancer.org/aa to donate.

American Airlines Education Foundation Invests in Employees' Children With Nearly $1.2 Million in College Scholarships

The scholarships benefit 425 students across 8 countries, 41 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., and this fall, their studies will take them to 421 colleges and universities around the world......

The American Airlines Education Foundation awarded $1,161,500 in scholarships to 425 children of team members this year, the largest amount ever distributed.

Each recipient was awarded a $2,500 scholarship, with 99 first-generation college students each getting an additional one-time award of $1,000.

“Our family has invested a great deal in our daughter’s education, and, as most parents know, it’s not always easy,” said Vera Velitchkova, a Premium Customer Service Agent in Phoenix. “For the last four years, American has shared that investment with us by making it more affordable. Being around airplanes inspired my daughter, Lorena, from a young age, and now she’s pursuing her dream of someday working in the aerospace industry. She’s worked so hard, and we’re so thankful that American recognizes that, too.”

In previous years, students were recognized at an in-person celebratory event. This year, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students received congratulatory packages, featuring a message from American Chairman and CEO Doug Parker.

American Airlines delivers 3 million more vaccines overseas on behalf of White House Task Force

American donates second cargo flight to deliver more

 vaccines to Guatemala  — 4.5 million doses in total

The American Airlines team in Guatemala City (GUA) following the Boeing 777’s arrival with COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Alaska Airlines Foundation awards grants to 25 non-profit organisations

Alaska Airlines Foundation has awarded $260,000 in LIFT Grants to 25 nonprofits in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, the firm revealed today. 

This is the first round of grants scheduled for this year and follows on from 22 years and over $3 million donated by the Alaska Airlines Foundation.  The Foundation LIFT Grants support programs and initiatives that equip, empower, and inspire young people. The Alaska Airlines Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations with a clear vision on providing the next generation of leaders with the knowledge, skills and providing pathways for success.

"The Alaska Airlines Foundation supports community-based organizations to enable equity and opportunity through education and career development for middle and high school-aged young people," said Diana Birkett Rakow, Foundation chair and vice president of public affairs and sustainability at Alaska Airlines. "Throughout the pandemic, these organizations have creatively adapted their programs and sought to close gaps left by COVID restrictions, lost family wages, and limited social interaction. This is a critical time to ensure that young people can thrive and be ready for future jobs not only in aviation but other fields."

Air Lease Corporation adds $100,000 to ISTAT Foundation matching campaign to benefit Airlink's Operation Airlift India

                             Air Lease Corporation has joined the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) Foundation in support of Airlink's Operation Airlift India bringing the combined donation to $230,000 for the purpose of immediate COVID-19 relief.

Air Lease Corporation is matching the ISTAT Foundation's initial $100,000 donation, helping surpass its original goal of raising $150,000 for this important initiative. The ISTAT Foundation has committed a total of $115,000 along with $15,000 raised by its membership in a Matching Gift Campaign in June.

"The ISTAT Foundation is delighted to have Air Lease Corporation join us as Lead Sponsors for Airlink's Operation Airlift India COVID-19 relief effort," said Peter Huijbers, Chair of the ISTAT Foundation. "This is not only a significant boost to the Airlink relief effort in India, but also a demonstration of joint philanthropic objectives between the two organizations and its members over a long period of time. A big thank you to John Plueger and the entire ALC team."