"I'll never forget the look on their faces when we reached the North Pole."
United believes in promoting and encouraging volunteerism among its 63,000 employees. Some of these volunteer efforts began at the corporate level, while others started as employee grassroots efforts and became United traditions. In 1996, we created the United Employee Volunteer Program, a company-wide program that encourages our employees to volunteer for community organizations by matching their interests with volunteer opportunities. To date, more than 30,000 employees have undertaken volunteer activities as a result of this program. The following include some of our most notable volunteer-related activities and partnerships.
Humanitarian aid and relief
Food, water, clothing and medical supplies are critical necessities for survivors of natural disasters and armed conflicts. United employees have routinely responded to such events by collecting donations and emergency relief supplies that are then put into care packages. The company has also helped by shipping these contributions and others to emergency sites.
Fantasy Flights
Every holiday season for years, United employees in communities around the world have hosted Fantasy Flights—magical flights that take disadvantaged or seriously ill children on a trip to Santa's workshop at the North Pole. Clowns, magicians and elves entertain the children in specially decorated gate areas. The children also receive goodies and presents to take home for the holidays. Many local companies and charitable organizations join in these festivities.
Employee Giving Programs
Every year, in recognition of outstanding employee volunteerism, United awards $50,000 in grants to those charitable organizations for which our employees volunteer. In addition, through our Workplace Giving Program, our employees have donated as much as $4.2 million a year to worthy organizations.
AIDS walks
Every year, United employees in the U.S. volunteer to help raise money for local AIDS service organizations by organizing teams to participate in fund-raising AIDS walks such as AIDS Walk Los Angeles which benefits AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). United is proud to be the Official Airline of AIDS Project Los Angeles, which has become one of the world's largest and most respected HIV/AIDS human service providers. APLA has served the HIV/AIDS community in Los Angeles County for more than twenty years -helping over 10,000 people living with HIV/AIDS annually with more than twenty-five programs and services. A longtime sponsor, United salutes the work of APLA as they provide a continuum of patient care coordination aimed at enhancing the patient's ability to manage their chronic disease, improve their quality of life, foster economic independence, and increase their years of healthy living.
ORBIS International
In 1982, with the support of United Airlines, Project ORBIS International, a program that has helped save the eyesight of over 100,000 individuals around the world, was established. As the founding airline sponsor, United donated a DC-8 aircraft that was converted into the world's only flying eye hospital and training facility for medical personnel. Since then, United's support and the tireless dedication of United pilot volunteers, have helped ORBIS travel to over 80 countries to provide surgery to those in need and important medical training for over 63,000 eye health practitioners. United continues to provide travel support so that ORBIS volunteers can travel to the eye care programs around the world, provide costly jet fuel at cost whenever the flying eye hospital is in the U.S., and encourage United flight crews to serve as volunteers to fly the plane to its many destinations.
ChicagoCares
Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon is a citywide celebration of community service. Hundreds of employees throughout United join together to make a huge impact on our city by bringing schools, senior homes, parks and agencies to life. Employees come together to paint, help create colorful playgrounds, plant flowers, and paint murals to make Chicago a better place to live, work and play.
Holiday Spirit of Giving
Each year, thousands of foster children in the Chicago area receive gifts courtesy of United employees. The holiday giving program demonstrates employee’s ongoing generosity in helping to bring holiday cheer to children who would otherwise have no Christmas.
Y-ME RACE
United is proud to be recognized as Chair and Official & Exclusive Airline of the 2006 Y-ME RACE in Chicago benefiting the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. As a first time participant last year, more than 1000 employees, family, and friends united to form one of the largest corporate teams ever! Through this effort, $100,000 was raised for the Y-ME organization and its network of Affiliates which provides information and support to anyone touched by breast cancer. As originally envisioned by Y-ME’s founders, all programs and services are available free-of-charge
