Alaska Airlines Foundation gives over $160,000 to nonprofits in Alaska and Washington

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alaska Airlines Foundation is awarding $161,500 to 15 nonprofits in Alaska and Washington. The mid-year grants are the first of two donations the Alaska Airlines Foundation will make this year.

"This first round of donations puts the Alaska Airlines Foundation on pace to give more than ever in 2017," said Tim Thompson, Alaska Airlines Foundation executive director. "Our goal is that these funds will have a lasting impact in the local communities we serve."

In the first half of 2017, grants were made to 15 organizations including the following:

• Alaska Challenger Center for Space Science Technology Inc: The Alaska Challenger Center provides education programs to cultivate youth interest in science, technology, engineering and math (S.T.E.M.) through simulated space and earth science missions.
• Community for Youth: Community for Youth pairs students from underserved high schools in South Seattle with mentors to help every mentee graduate high school with life skills to make a positive impact on their communities.
• El Centro de la Raza: El Centro de la Raza provides youth programs, emergency services, asset-building programs and education to achieve social equity on behalf of the Latino community in Seattle.

The Alaska Airlines Foundation has been supporting communities through donations to nonprofits for nearly 20 years. As an independent 501c (3) nonprofit organization, the Alaska Airlines Foundation supplements Alaska Airlines' overall corporate giving program by providing direct cash grants to public charities in Alaska, Hawaii and Washington. Grants support organizations that focus on improving their communities, particularly in the areas of education and workforce development.

The Alaska Airlines Foundation considers grant requests twice in a calendar year. Eligible nonprofit organizations are encouraged to submit an online application at donationsalaskaair.com by Sept. 15, 2017, for consideration in November.

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million guests a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive years from 2008 to 2017. Alaska Mileage Plan ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Airline Loyalty Rewards Programs" in the J.D. Power 2016 Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report for the last three consecutive years. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

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SOURCE Alaska Airlines