Alaska Airlines Foundation Grants Awarded to Address Critical Community Needs

WHY IT RATES: The Alaska Airlines Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has supported underserved communities in regions to which it flies for over 20 years, is coming to the aid of those in need amid the COVID-19 pandemic.—Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer

The Alaska Airlines Foundation is awarding $315,000 to 23 nonprofits in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. These LIFT grants, the first round of 2020, are in response to urgent needs of food insecurity, shelter, remote educational support and other needs of families caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 has had a profound impact on individuals and the world around us—from jobs, to education, to paying rent and getting food on the table,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, chair of the Alaska Airlines Foundation Board of Directors. “We’re honored to support these nonprofit organizations, and their teams, at the forefront of helping individuals and families through crisis.”

As an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Alaska Airlines Foundation has supported communities for more than 20 years.

“We call these LIFT grants, inspired by the principle of lift behind an airplane taking flight,” said Birkett Rakow. “Today, we think about that very literally, to enable opportunity, sustain, and lift one another to come through this crisis with immediate needs and for the long term.”

Cash grants were made to the following 23 organizations including:

Alaska:

“AK Can Do” Fund for COVID-19 Response – Alaska Community Foundation/United Way

Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis – COVID-19 Response

Armed Services YMCA Of Alaska – Food Pantry

Covenant House Alaska

Fairbanks Community Food Bank – COVID-19 Response

Lutheran Social Services of Alaska, Inc. – Food Pantry

Southeast Alaska Food Bank – COVID-19 Pandemic Relief

California:

Silicon Valley Strong Fund – Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Alameda County Community Food Bank – COVID-19 Emergency Response

Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank – COVID-19 Response

The Oakland Public Education Fund – COVID-19 Rapid Relief Fund

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley – COVID-19 Response

SPARK SF Public Schools – COVID-19 Response

YMCA of San Francisco

Hawaii:

Hawaii Resilience Fund – Hawaii Community Foundation

The Food Basket – COVID-19 Response

Hawaii Foodbank – COVID-19 Response

Hawaii Foodbank Kauai – COVID-19 Response

Maui Food Bank – COVID-19 Response

Oregon:

#EmergeStronger in the Wake of COVID-19 – Oregon Food Bank

Washington:

Curiosity Never Closes: Curiosity at Home – Pacific Science Center

WA Food Fund – Philanthropy Northwest

United Way of King County – COVID-19 Relief Fund

The Alaska Airlines Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Anchorage, Alaska. The Foundation’s core mission is to enable opportunity for young people through LIFT grants in the communities where we fly. Learn more about the Alaska Airlines Foundation.

For more information, visit alaskaair.com.

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines press release.

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