Since 1990, the Southwest Airlines Employees Catastrophic Assistance Charity (SWAECAC) has been supporting Southwest Employees and their families during difficult times in their lives and 2021 was certainly no exception.
This year brought unexpected events, including snowstorms in Texas, which caused power outages, burst pipes, home flooding, and damage, as well as Hurricane Ida, causing destruction across the greater New Orleans area. These natural disasters were on top of the many personal hardships and disasters that also impacted Employees throughout the year. Year to date, the Charity has supported more than 530 requests and awarded nearly $1.8M in financial support to Southwest Employees and their families.
“The mission of the SWAECAC is to help fellow Employees suffering financial hardship resulting from a catastrophic event in their lives,” said Colleen Russell, SWAECAC Board President. “It is a tremendous resource that we want any Southwest Employee who is in need of assistance to take advantage of, so the Charity can help alleviate some of the financial burdens caused by the unexpected.”
Funds awarded through the Charity are made possible thanks to generous contributions from Southwest Employees. This is the Southwest Heart in action and the SWAECAC and its Board of Directors thank you sincerely for your support. Recipient Employees are incredibly grateful as well:
“Thank you for thinking about us after the winter storm and for your generous gift! It has been a huge help to us as we go through this rebuild process. Having the support from our Southwest Airlines family continues to provide so much comfort. The generosity is overwhelming and a blessing. We are truly appreciative of this gift and a company that cares for its Employees. Please know we will be forever grateful!”
The Southwest Airlines Employees Catastrophic Assistance Charity is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of individuals representing various departments across the Company.