US Airways Supports Education In Its Four Hubs With $270,000 In Grants

TEMPE, Ariz., Sept. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- "My name is Sal R., and I may be the first male in my family to go to college, but I won't be the last," thanks to a grant from the US Airways (NYSE: LCC) Education Foundation to Elevate Phoenix. Elevate Phoenix teaches character, life skills and leadership to urban students, and provides a full-time staff who serve as teachers, mentors and life coaches to students 24/7. While the graduation rate in the targeted area is just 53 percent, students of Elevate Phoenix have a 100 percent high school graduation rate and 98 percent of students go on to secondary education.

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Along with 20 other nonprofit organizations, Elevate Phoenix will share grants totaling $270,000 in the airline's hub cities of Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. as part of its 2013 Community Education Grant Program. The Foundation serves a dual purpose: provide annual grants to qualifying children's educational programs and college scholarships to dependents of US Airways employees.

Record fundraising last year enabled the Education Foundation to award grants up to $20,000. Grants are awarded to programs for children age 18 and younger that increase academic achievement for economically disadvantaged or developmentally disabled young people. The grants also support programs that increase student interest and achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

The following organizations received grants:

• Charlotte, N.C. – A Child's Place of Charlotte, Allegro Foundation, Discovery Place, Junior Achievement of Charlotte and Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of the Central Carolinas 
• Philadelphia – Boys & Girls Club of Chester, Chester County Futures, Mighty Writers, North Penn Boys & Girls Club, Philadelphia Futures and Reading ASSIST Institute
• Phoenix – Arizona Science Center, Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, Children's Museum of Phoenix, Elevate Phoenix, Jobs for Arizona Graduates and the Phoenix Symphony
• Washington, D. C. – Higher Achievement, Kid Power, Literacy Lab and ReSET   

Since the Education Foundation's inception in 1990, more than $4.9 million has been awarded through grants and college scholarships. The amount of annual funding is subject to change from year to year and is solely dependent on funds raised in the previous year. Funding sources include contributions from US Airways employees, fundraising events and private donations. In 2013 US Airways Education Foundation fundraisers include the 3^rd Annual Philadelphia Suitcase Soiree held in May, which raised more than $160,000, and the 2^nd Annual Charlotte Suitcase Soiree on Sept. 19, which raised more than $67,000. The 20^th Annual Phoenix Golf Tournament on Nov. 2 will also support the programs of the US Airways Education Foundation. Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded $455,000 in college scholarships to 130 children of US Airways employees, including those of wholly owned subsidiaries PSA and Piedmont, and retirees.

US Airways provides charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations in the airline's hubs through four channels of giving: the Corporate Giving Program, the US Airways Education Foundation, the US Airways Community Foundation and Volunteerism. Last year US Airways and its employees gave $9 million in total cash, time and travel contributions to nonprofit organizations that enrich, educate and engage the communities served by the airline. More information regarding the airline's corporate giving program can be found at www.usairways.com/corporategiving.

About US Airways
US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,100 flights per day and serves 198 communities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central and South America. The airline employs more than 32,000 aviation professionals worldwide, operates the world's largest fleet of Airbus aircraft and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers its customers more than 21,900 daily flights to 1,328 airports in 195 countries. Together with its US Airways Express partners, the airline serves approximately 80 million passengers each year and operates hubs in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. Aviation Week and Overhaul & Maintenance magazine presented US Airways with the 2012 Aviation Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of the Year Award for demonstrating outstanding achievement and innovation in the area of technical operations. Military Times Edge magazine named US Airways as a Best for Vets employer for the past three years. US Airways was, for the third year in a row, the only airline included as one of the 50 best companies to work for in the U.S. by LATINA Style magazine's 50 Report. The airline also earned a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality index for six consecutive years. The Corporate Equality index is a leading indicator of companies' attitudes and policies toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees and customers. For more company information visit usairways.com, follow on Twitter @USAirways or at Facebook.com/USAirways. (LCCG)

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