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Southwest Airlines Community

Southwest Announces First 10 Winners for Showing LUV to our Communities 1,600 Ticket Giveaway

rbarry
Employee
Employee

Just two weeks ago, we announced a very exciting ticket giveaway in honor of Southwest’s 40th anniversary to spread the LUV even further to the communities we serve in 72 cities across our system.  Nonprofit organizations focused on community initiatives that concentrate on education, diversity, military, environment, and families facing serious illness had the chance to share their compelling story along with a photo to explain how 40 roundtrip tickets would help them achieve their missions in the community.

LUV to Comm

As soon as we announced, the entries started rolling in (we received our first one after only 20 minutes!), and we couldn’t be more pleased with the number of nonprofit organizations who shared their story with us.  Let me tell you—our judging committee had a tough job to make a decision on our winners.  Reading about the community impact and the difference these organizations make in peoples’ lives was truly moving.  I’d be lying if I said tissues were not in order after reading some of them!

Today and every week until August 16, we will share ten winners at a time with you.  We’re so thrilled to share our first ten winners and to start seeing the impact 40 tickets make to each of the below organizations.  Stay tuned to NUTS About Southwest next Tuesday on August 2, when we’ll reveal our next set of ten winners! 

Thank you again for helping us celebrate our 40th year of service and for your efforts to make the communities in which we all work and live a better place.

California ReLeaf
Sacramento, CA

California ReLeaf

California ReLeaf’s mission is to empower grassroots efforts and build strategic partnerships that preserve, protect, and enhance California’s urban and community forests. 

“California ReLeaf is blessed to have Southwest serving nine airports throughout the state.”  California ReLeaf plans to use the tickets to bring their partner organizations together at their annual meeting, being held in Palo Alto this year.  “Our network organizations are mostly comprised of grassroots groups and the chance to learn and share with each other in person is a priceless gift.”

“This is amazing!  Thank you so much, this will make a huge impact to our organization and all of the communities we work with,” said Joe Liszewski, Executive Director California ReLeaf.

Mujeres Latinas en Accion
Chicago, IL

Mujeres Latinas en Accion

Mujeres Latinas en Accion empowers Latinas through providing services which reflect their values and culture and advocating the issues that make a difference in their lives.  Mujeres Latinas en Accion plans to build on the program’s successes by developing a competitive application and selection process to engage young women in a national leadership summit. 

Mujeres Latinas en Accion will utilize the 40 roundtrip tickets on Southwest to fly these promising young Latinas to Washington, D.C. and engage them in a leadership summit featuring prominent Latinas in public life, attend scheduled meetings with lawmakers, and visit local universities.  The goal of the trip is to further encourage active civic participation among the next generation of Latina leaders with these young women assuming leadership roles among their peers and in their communities.

Hispanic College Fund
Washington, D.C.

Hispanic College Fund

The mission of the Hispanic College Fund is to develop the next generation of Hispanic professionals by connecting students with Fortune 500 companies and other organizations.  The Hispanic College Fund will impact more than 4,000 students and involve more than 2,000 volunteers nationwide this year alone.

The Hispanic College Fund will use their 40 tickets to bring young adults to programs that change their life trajectories, send staff to new regions to further expand the organization’s partnerships, and to connect its students, partners, volunteers, and sponsors with LUV, developing the next generations of professionals from some of the most undeserved communities in America.

Nellie’s Youth Village
Niceville, FL

Youth Village

Nellie’s Youth Village was formed to create a safe place to provide various educational and recreational services to low-income at-risk children ages 5 to 16.  They work to teach these children to grow into responsible, self sufficient adults by providing them with the tools to develop constructive practices and goals.

Nellie’s Youth Village plans to take their youth to New York City to further their education and to expose them to powerful learning opportunities that are unique to New York City.

Project Sanctuary
Parker, CO

Project Sanctuary

Project Sanctuary provides therapeutic, curative, supportive, and recreational activities to veterans, active military personnel, their spouses, and children in a leisure environment.  Their focus is to help the entire family heal together in a comprehensive two-year program. 

Project Sanctuary currently has a waiting list of 700 families, the majority of whom are out of state.  Southwest Airlines’ gift of 40 roundtrip tickets will fly approximately ten families into Colorado so that they can reconnect and heal.


VotoLatino
Washington, D.C.

VotoLatino

VotoLatino's mission is to ensure that young Latino Americans become educated, engaged, and empowered voters.  They work hard to make sure the new wave of young Latinos are ready to make their voices heard.

VotoLatino will give the 40 roundtrip tickets to young people who want to attend the Power Summit in the L.A. area where young leaders will receive training from public officials, artists, grassroots organizers, and business leaders in new media, public speaking, activism, and community organizing.

“We’re giving young Latinos the means to empowerment, and Southwest Airlines is helping them get there.”

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Annapolis, MD

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation provides environmental education to more than 40,000 students, teachers, and principals every year.  Their award-winning field programs engage participants in environmental stewardship through research, critical thinking, and the exploration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is expanding its presence and building on the success of their world-renown, green headquarters to be a world leader for sustainable building, educating decision makers, business leaders, architects, construction companies, and the general public about the importance of building green.  Their facility will deliver hands-on learning for area students, teachers, and administrators, and will serve as a center for restoration and community gatherings. 

The donation of 40 roundtrip tickets will assist in transporting expert staff to the site for planning, designing, and building.

National Veterans Transition Services, Inc.
San Diego, CA

REBOOT

The National Veterans Transition Services, Inc. provides an innovative, three-week workshop, REBOOT™, that helps  veterans successfully transition back to civilian life.  In just one year, REBOOT™, provided more than 262 military veterans and separating service member graduates a road map for their civilian futures.

The 40 roundtrip tickets will enable out-of-area students to come to San Diego to take part in this life-changing program.

“REBOOT™ wants to help spread the LUV!”

Horace Mann Educational Associates (HMEA)
Franklin, MA

HMEA

HMEA and TechACCESS of Rhode Island provide in-home and in-school education, therapy and assistive technology for people with disabilities including autism, Down syndrome, and cerebal palsy and returning military personnel with physical trauma.  Their combined staff of 650 touch the lives of 2,700 people and their families by providing individualized education, support services, and life experiences that best meet their unique needs.

HMEA will use the 40 roundtrip tickets to reunite families across the US whose loved ones are served by HMEA and TechACCESS, to provide families with disabled children the opportunity to have a dream come true vacation, and to fly experts from around the country to Boston for a conference to help support people with disabilities.

FIRST
Manchester, NH

FIRST

FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while exposing young people to the career opportunities available in science, technology, engineering, and math (all fields that contribute to aviation success!).  FIRST achieves their mission by creating high-tech sporting events where students design, program, and build robots, and then compete in games of skill.

With 40 roundtrip tickets, FIRST will be able to help winners of the Florida competitions travel to compete in the World Championship held in St. Louis, MO next year.

6 Comments
Gail_Popple
Explorer C
SOUTHWEST is now my wonderful way to go!
12stepapparel
Explorer C
Is it too late to submit for this?
Tiffany_Sotelo
Explorer C
Fingers crossed that my favorite program is on the list!! The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at USF has been such a tremendous support to our family and the thousands in our area affected by Autism. My little Joey has been introduced and encouraged to participate in everything from public speaking to surfing and many events in between that allowed him to experiment with his own independence. He has come out of his shell and each day is a new experience that allows him a real life therapy which will ensure that his future is a bright one! Even if they are not chosen I know they are number one on our list and we are forever grateful! Thank you Southwest for giving so many deserving organizations, it’s our community and we are responsible for its wellbeing. Always, A Mom
Eva
Explorer C
Where are the names of the ten people who won the contest , showin some luv for 40 years , where are those winners names ??
Heather_Ehle
Explorer C
YaaaaaWhooooooo!! On Behalf of the Military Families we so proudly serve, THANK YOU and Happy Birthday!!! With over 700 families waiting for our therapeutic retreats (and most of those are outside of Colorado) this is a HUGE blessing!! Thank you SOUTHWEST for supporting our Active Duty, Veterans, Wounded Warriors AND their Families!! Project Sanctuary
Donna_Lee_Aho
Explorer C
How doyou enter?