„My name is Sal R., and I may be the first male in my family to go to college, but I won’t be the last,” thanks to a grant from the US Airways (NYSE: LCC) Education Foundation to Elevate Phoenix. Elevate Phoenix teaches character, life skills and leadership to urban students, and provides a full-time staff who serve as teachers, mentors and life coaches to students 24/7. While the graduation rate in the targeted area is just 53 percent, students of Elevate Phoenix have a 100 percent high school graduation rate and 98 percent of students go on to secondary education.
Along with 20 other nonprofit organizations, Elevate Phoenix will share grants totaling $270,000 in the airline’s hub cities of Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. as part of its 2013 Community Education Grant Program. The Foundation serves a dual purpose: provide annual grants to qualifying children’s educational programs and college scholarships to dependents of US Airways employees.
Record fundraising last year enabled the Education Foundation to award grants up to $20,000. Grants are awarded to programs for children age 18 and younger that increase academic achievement for economically disadvantaged or developmentally disabled young people. The grants also support programs that increase student interest and achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
The following organizations received grants:
Charlotte, N.C. – A Child’s Place of Charlotte, Allegro Foundation, Discovery Place, Junior Achievement of Charlotte and Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of the Central Carolinas
Philadelphia – Boys & Girls Club of Chester, Chester County Futures, Mighty Writers, North Penn Boys & Girls Club, Philadelphia Futures and Reading ASSIST Institute
Phoenix – Arizona Science Center, Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, Children’s Museum of Phoenix, Elevate Phoenix, Jobs for Arizona Graduates and the Phoenix Symphony
Washington, D. C. – Higher Achievement, Kid Power, Literacy Lab and ReSET
Since the Education Foundation’s inception in 1990, more than $4.9 million has been awarded through grants and college scholarships. The amount of annual funding is subject to change from year to year and is solely dependent on funds raised in the previous year. Funding sources include contributions from US Airways employees, fundraising events and private donations. In 2013 US Airways Education Foundation fundraisers include the 3rd Annual Philadelphia Suitcase Soiree held in May, which raised more than $160,000, and the 2nd Annual Charlotte Suitcase Soiree on Sept. 19, which raised more than $67,000. The 20th Annual Phoenix Golf Tournament on Nov. 2 will also support the programs of the US Airways Education Foundation. Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded $455,000 in college scholarships to 130 children of US Airways employees, including those of wholly owned subsidiaries PSA and Piedmont, and retirees.
US Airways provides charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations in the airline’s hubs through four channels of giving: the Corporate Giving Program, the US Airways Education Foundation, the US Airways Community Foundation and Volunteerism. Last year US Airways and its employees gave $9 million in total cash, time and travel contributions to nonprofit organizations that enrich, educate and engage the communities served by the airline. More information regarding the airline’s corporate giving program can be found at www.usairways.com/corporategiving.
Source / Author: U.S. Airways