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

rbarry
Employee
Employee

It’s that time again—we’re ready to announce our third set of ten winners for our very exciting 1,600 ticket giveaway in honor of Southwest’s 40th anniversary to spread the LUV even further to the communities we serve.  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.

Just like our first two sets of winners, as you read through these organizations’ missions and how they’re winning the hearts and minds in these  communities, you’ll see why they’re on our winning list.

Don’t stray too far from NUTS About Southwest because we’ll announce our last set of winners next Tuesday on August 16.  Be sure to let any nonprofit organization you shared this contest with to stay tuned!  We can hardly wait to see how our winners will use their set of 40 tickets to achieve their missions.  Congratulations to the first 30 winners so far!

We’ve said it before, but 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. 

Diveheart
Downers Grove, IL

Diveheart

Diveheart provides SCUBA diving opportunities for children, adults, and military personnel with disabilities.  The physical, psychological, social, and spiritual benefits of SCUBA are beyond measure.

Diveheart has recently started working with parents of fallen troops, affiliated with Operation Support Our Troops.  Diveheart will use the 40 roundtrip tickets for SCUBA diving trips for the parents of fallen troops who have partnered with wounded veterans.

“The parents of our service men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice, and their lives have been forever changed.  SCUBA trips will provide them with the opportunity to depend on each other and learn from each other as they grow and heal together.”

American Widow Project (AWP)
San Marcos, TX

American Widow Project

When Taryn was just 21, she received devastating news.   Her husband, Corporal Michael, had been killed in Iraq.  While her family provided emotional support, she still felt lost and alone.  When her Google search for “widow” turned up the result, “Did you mean window?”,  she knew she had to take action.

The AWP provides a 24/7 hotline that allows immediate connection to another widow and a web site with information on resources and personal stories from its members.  The AWP sponsors life-embracing getaway weekends nationwide that include group activities, community work, tears, love, laughter, personal growth, and healing.

Since its inception, the AWP has provided support to nearly 800 military widows across the US.  The AWP will use the 40 roundtrip tickets to help facilitate travel to the AWP’s events and activities held across the nation.

METROsquash
Chicago, IL

METRO Squash

METROsquash is an after-school program that uses the unique combination of squash, academics, mentoring, and community service to empower Chicago Public School students to reach their full academic, athletic, and personal potential.  Students spend ten hours per week with METROsquash learning squash, receiving academic tutoring, participating in competitions, performing community service, and learning life skills.

METROsquash students participate in 18 tournaments across the country with 90 students attending summer programs in cities across the US.  They will use the 40 roundtrip tickets to send students and chaperones to the “Urban Teams” tournament in Harlem next January, the “Urban Individuals” tournament at Williams College next June, and the 2012 US Junior Championships at Yale next April.

Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, Inc.
Spartanburg, SC

Hatcher

The Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve is a free botanical garden open daily that has been nurtured for more than 50 years in the Spartanburg community.  Its mission is to provide a place for inspiration, enjoyment, and education in a natural surrounding for those facing life-changing illnesses. 

The garden was designed collaboratively with the Spartanburg Regional Hospice and the Interim Healthcare Hospice to provide a place of serenity and peace, one offering comfort for patients and caregivers at end-of-life and after the death of a loved one.

They will use the 40 roundtrip tickets to allow hospice patients to bring faraway family members home for one last reunion, one last stroll through the garden that has been a backdrop for family experiences.

Year Up
Boston, MA (San Francisco Chapter)

YearUp

Year Up is a one-year, intensive training program that arms students aged 18 to 24 with the skills, experience, and support to succeed in the workplace and the college classroom.  Since 2000, Year Up has served more than 4,000 adults, and 84 percent of their graduates are employed or attending college full-time within four months of completing the program.

Year Up will use the 40 roundtrip tickets to send students to travel to other sites around the country and see that, like them, others are changing the way corporate America sees this demographic and that they are part of a bigger movement to close the opportunity divide in the US.

The Institute for Progressive Leadership
Washington, D.C.

Institute for Progressive Leadership

The Institute for Progressive Leadership (IPL) is an international nonprofit training organization that, through values based on nonpartisan leadership programs, builds the capacity, unlocks the potential, and develops the skills for effective leadership; empowers a network and growing pipeline of diverse leaders taking an active role in a multi-national political future; and designs and celebrates new and innovative strategies and tools for genuine leaders of tomorrow.

The Institute for Progressive Leadership will use 40 Southwest Airlines tickets for the minority (African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, GLBT, and women) 2011 Class Fellows’ travel in their leadership programs. 

Toussaint Youth Villages
San Diego, CA

Toussaint Youth Villages

Toussaint Youth Villages is committed to providing a continuum of services to children and youth who are unable to live with their families due to abuse, neglect, or other circumstances.

Toussaint Youth Villages plans to use the tickets for college exploration, allowing homeless college students to travel for educational field trips. 

Dream Foundation
Santa Barbara, CA

Dream Foundation

The Dream Foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their families who are battling life-threatening illness.

The Dream Foundation plans to use 40 roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines to give the gift of flight.  Because the Dream Foundation helps an underserved segment of their community, the flight is often a dream unto itself.  They often receive letters from dreamers who would like nothing more than to experience their first plane ride. 

We are thrilled that they will be able to give them that experience on Southwest Airlines. 

The Love Alliance
Palm Bay, FL

The Love Alliance

The Love Alliance works to educate individuals on various issues of social injustice such as world poverty, clean water, sickness, human trafficking, homelessness, the environment, and oppression.  The Love Alliance then takes this knowledge and puts it to work through monthly action projects, community groups, events, and partnerships. 

The Love Alliance will use their 40 Southwest Airlines tickets to fly their groups and hold community service projects including canned food drives, community cleanups, and many other action-based initiatives. 

Dream Center San Antonio
San Antonio, TX

Dream Center San Antonio

Dream Center San Antonio (DCSA) advocates for social change on various fronts, wherever society’s needs are greatest.  This includes providing basic needs such as food, shelter, medical care, and clothing in order to help educate entire families, providing spiritual guidance, and combating the rise of obesity.

DCSA plans to use 40 roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines to send their staff and volunteers to the Los Angeles Dream Center Headquarters, to volunteer at one of their Adopt-A-Blocks, gaining wisdom from those who have witnessed many to be inspired to dream again.

6 Comments
Debra_B_Evans
Explorer C
I thank the Southwest Company for all they do to help our communities and help those that are in need in someway. I fly on Southwest for every flight in the USA and I have never had a bad experience. They are always very nice and helpful. It is great to see that there are still some companies that will still support our communities in so many different ways. My prayers are with the Southwest Company that you will be able to continue this great work. Thanks Debra Evans
Jackie_Chalmers
Explorer C
I applad you for your donations of free flights to all of the worthy causes. Thank you SWA!
Roland_Guerrero
Explorer C
Thanks SWA for showing your LUV for what the American Widow Project is doing for our military and their widows!!!!
Kelly_Sweda
Explorer C
We at Dream Foundation are thrilled to be among your group of incredible and worthy recipients. Our dreamers will cherish the opportunities they will now have, because of Southwest, to take a final vacation with their children, attend a special family reunion, or have a loved one brought to their bedside for a final goodbye. Our travel dreams would never be fulfilled without generosity like yours. Thank you so much!
Matthew_Molpus
Explorer C
Thank you so much for your support and an amazing heart! The San Antonio Dream Center will be able to impact our community with this experience while helping others in need. The LA Dream Center will be a trip of community service and initiatives that will better help us to establish those same principles in San Antonio, TX. My prayers are with this Company and just for your information I fly Southwest and tell others of my great experiences. Thank you, Matt
Mike_Harris
Explorer C
Thank you for selecting Year Up as a recipient of 40 airline tickets, we are all thrilled and can’t wait to send our students across country (many of them for the first time). The email informing us of our selection was received on August 5th, but we have not received the tickets yet. The email said we would receive them in 10 business days, but as that time expired over a month ago, could you update me on when we can expect them? Thanks Mike Harris