TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- US Airways, a
unit of American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL), announced today that
its philanthropic contributions in 2013 reached a record
$10 million. The airline supports
nonprofit organizations in its hub cities of Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. through three channels of
giving: the annual Corporate Giving program, the US Airways
Education Foundation and the US Airways Community Foundation, in
addition to volunteerism. Additionally, US Airways employees
support their local communities through its annual "Hope Takes
Flight" campaign benefitting United Way.
"Giving back and supporting our local communities is incredibly
important to us at US Airways and it's something we'll continue to
do as American Airlines. Our United Way campaign is just one
example of how employees join together in the true spirit of giving
to help those in need in the communities we serve," said American
Airlines CEO Doug Parker.
United Way
The largest contribution on behalf of the airline and its
employees is the annual "Hope Takes Flight" campaign benefitting
the United Way. The 39,000 employees of US Airways and its wholly
owned subsidiaries, Piedmont and
PSA Airlines, surpassed last year's record by $100,000, raising $1.55
million. In addition to financial contributions, the "Hope
Takes Flight" campaign takes various forms. US Airways employees
coordinated and participated in a variety of fundraising events,
including the airline's popular Jet Pulls in Charlotte, Phoenix and Philadelphia in which teams of employees raise
money and race to pull a parked aircraft 15 feet. A record 111
teams pulled this year making these the most popular Jet Pulls to
date. The winning team of employees in Charlotte pulled a 50-ton Airbus A319 the
required 15 feet in 3.708 seconds.
Corporate Giving
The US Airways Corporate Giving Program invests in IRS 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organizations whose missions support arts, human services
and education organizations that enhance the quality of life in the
airline's hub and focus cities. Including the "Hope Takes Flight
campaign," in 2013, US Airways' Corporate Giving totaled more than
$8.6 million.
This was the second year of the US Airways BE PINK campaign, a
partnership with American Cancer Society Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer (MSABC). Sales of BE PINK merchandise, uniform items
that were worn during the month of October, MSABC walks in the
airline's hub cities and, for the first time, onboard donations
from passengers raised $95,000 for
MSABC.
Through the US Airways Miles of Hope program, US Airways
customers may donate their Dividend Miles to five national
nonprofit organizations: the American Red Cross, Fisher House
Foundation, Keep America Beautiful, Make-A-Wish Foundation and
Mercy Medical Airlift. In 2013, US Airways provided $1.75 million in in-kind contributions, which
includes an annual matching campaign by the airline.
US Airways Education Foundation
The US Airways Education Foundation awarded $725,000 in scholarships and grants in 2013. In
total the Education Foundation awarded 130 scholarships to children
of US Airways employees and awarded $270,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations
with children's educational programs in its hub cities Funding
sources include contributions from US Airways employees,
fundraising events and private donations.
US Airways Community Foundation
The US Airways Community Foundation provides grants to nonprofit
organizations to support capital projects and building campaigns.
In 2013, the Community Foundation will award a total of
$567,000 in grants to approximately
16 nonprofit organizations. Those grants will be distributed before
the end of the year.
Volunteerism
The airline facilitates several volunteer programs which
include: Do Crew, Puppies in Flight, Flights for 50 and Destination
Do Crew. This year employees donated 28,000 hours of their
time which is valued at $620,000.
The US Airways Do Crew is a dedicated corps of employee and
retiree volunteers that participate in community-based projects in
the airline's hub cities. More than 175,000 hours have been
volunteered through the Do Crew to the communities US Airways
serves since its inception in 1997. Puppies in Flight is a
volunteer program in partnership with Assistance
Dogs International. Through this program employees use their flight
benefits to transport service dogs to be paired with their handler
or to an individual who will raise the dog to be a service animal.
Flights for 50 recognizes employees who individually demonstrate
their dedication by volunteering at least 50 hours per calendar
year for a nonprofit organization, which is then eligible to
receive a $500 US Airways gift
card.
More information regarding the all of the airline's charitable
programs can be found at www.usairways.com/corporategiving.
About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for
American Airlines and US Airways. Together with American Eagle and
US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700
flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs
in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. American's AAdvantage and US
Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn and redeem
miles for travel and everyday purchases as well as flight upgrades,
vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and other retail
products. A founding member of the oneworld® alliance, American
Airlines and its members and members-elect, serve 981 destinations
with 14,244 daily flights to 151 countries. Connect with American
on Twitter @AmericanAir or Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow
US Airways on Twitter @USAirways and on
Facebook.com/USAirways.
SOURCE US Airways