Children's Hospital of Wisconsin a Recipient of the Southwest Airlines Medical Transportation Grant

DALLAS, Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announced today that more than 60 nonprofit hospitals and charities from across the nation will be participants in its Medical Transportation Grant Program this year. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin near Milwaukee is one of those recipients.

Southwest has nearly doubled the grant program's 2011 budget with hopes of assisting more than 5,500 patients and family members with their medical-related travel needs. Through the Southwest Airlines Medical Transportation Grant Program, the airline provides complimentary, roundtrip tickets to hospitals and medical transportation nonprofit organizations. The tickets are distributed by the organizations to deserving patients and their caregivers who must travel for medical care. 

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, located near Milwaukee, is one of the leading centers for pediatric health care in the United States. The hospital provides inpatient care, including transport of critically ill or injured children and intensive care services, and more than 70 specialty outpatient clinics that care for the full range of pediatric health care needs.

"Through its generous donation, Southwest Airlines is making it possible for dozens of families to receive world-class care at one of the nation's top-ranked pediatric hospitals," said Maggie Butterfield, director of Patient Amenities and Family Services at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

"The feedback we receive from families who benefit from the Medical Transportation Grant Program reaffirms for us that we are meeting a great need during what can be a difficult time in these families' lives," said Debra Benton, Southwest Airlines Director of Community Relations and Charitable Giving. "Southwest is proud to be able to provide this program to even more nonprofit hospitals and charities as support for families affected by serious illness."

Only 501(c) 3 qualified hospitals and organizations are eligible for the program. To see a full list of recipients, please visit: www.southwest.com/cares.  To learn qualifications for travel assistance through the designated organizations, please contact the Social Work, Travel/Concierge Service, or Patient Assistance Department directly at each location, which each have unique guidelines for administration of tickets.

About Southwest Airlines

In its 40th year of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service.  Southwest Airlines serves Milwaukee with 12 daily departures and is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, now serving 69 cities in 35 states.  Beginning March 13, 2011, Southwest will initiate service to Charleston and Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina, and on March 27, 2011, service will begin to Newark Liberty International Airport.  Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet.  To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,100 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines

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