At Southwest Airlines, we believe in championing causes that matter most and ensuring our investments mirror the diverse communities we serve. In June 2020, we made a $500,000 donation to two longtime partners: the National Urban League and 100 Black Men of America in response to the crucial conversations around racial injustice.
We’re excited to share an update on how this donation continues to support the great work of 100 Black Men of America.
The following is written by Paul Vaughn, President of the 100 Black Men of America South Metro Atlanta chapter.
The South Metro Atlanta chapter of the 100 Black Men of America Inc. remains dedicated to impacting our communities in the areas of leadership, mentoring, health and wellness, education, and economic development. Despite the challenges created due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we remained resilient in our support to those in need. Providing a quality education in this environment has become difficult for everyone involved. From principals to teachers, parents, and students, no one is exempt from the obstacles of digital learning. The challenges have been particularly acute in economically disadvantaged areas. These households face the issues of limited space, inadequate access to the internet, and parents that cannot work from home. In many cases, parents must choose between homeschooling or going to work to sustain their households. In 2020, our initiatives were focused on improving educational environments and resources by providing additional Hotspots throughout affected counties.
In 2021, we plan to continue to grow our relationship with the community through Financial Literacy, mentorship, and wellness programs.
Southwest Airlines has been a dedicated supporter of the 100 Black Men of South Metro Atlanta, Inc. for more than10 years. With Southwest’s recent support and donation of $30,000 to our local chapter last fall, we mobilized our dedicated members to address many of the needs these families were facing, including:
- Hosting over 15 COVID-19 awareness and relief events/initiatives
- Adopting a cluster of twelve local schools to provide core services of mentoring, financial assistance, and leadership support.
- Providing over 300 internet hotspot devices to the families who needed them most
- Supplying financial support and in-kind donations to school staff and student households, including food during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
- Hosting monthly census and voter awareness events throughout South Metro Atlanta
- Providing in-person and virtual mentoring and literacy support to at-risk student populations.
We’d like to thank Southwest Airlines for their unwavering support over the years which made these much-needed donations possible.
