JetBlue Airways and the Providence Bruins Donate Hundreds of Books to Hasbro Children's Hospital

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The airline that takes caring to heart JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU) along with its friends the Providence Bruins and T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) today delivered more than 650 books to the Hasbro Children's Hospital. JetBlue crewmembers joined players from the city's famed ice hockey team in the hospital's library for a special "story time" as part of the hospital's Read To Me program.

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The books were donated by generous citizens of Rhode Island via a donation drive organized by JetBlue. In a fun twist, JetBlue tweeted its location at the Bruins home arena, Dunkin' Donuts Center, calling on people to bring three new or gently used books and dress in their best Floridian attire to win flight certificates and other goodies and enjoy treats from the airline's partner Dunkin' Donuts. Pictures of the festive faux Floridians can be viewed at blog.jetblue.com.

"Reading is FUNdamental. We had a great deal of fun with this book drive culminating with the delivery of so many great reads to these amazing children here today," says JetBlue's Marketing Manager Ronda Ivy McLeod. "As an airline that promotes children's literacy with our various Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives including our national Soar With Reading partnership with PBS Kids, we're excited to continue to deepen our relationships with the Rhode Island community and our partnerships with T.F. Green, Hasbro Children's, and the Providence Bruins."

"The Providence Bruins were excited to partner with JetBlue, T.F. Green and Hasbro Children's Hospital in collecting books at the Dunkin' Donuts Center for the Read To Me Program," said Providence Sports + Entertainment Vice President of Client Services Kevin Boryczki.  "Giving back to the community is important to our organization and our players enjoyed being at Hasbro Children's Hospital today delivering books and reading to the children."

"On behalf of the leadership and staff at Hasbro Children's Hospital, we are grateful for the generous contributions of JetBlue, the Providence Bruins and T.F. Green," says Pamela Murchie Mehr, cause marketing officer for Hasbro Children's Hospital. "Our patients and their families will benefit greatly from our partners helping us encourage literacy and the love of reading."

The airline that holds "caring" as one of its core values, JetBlue supports many causes in the communities in which it serves. Its most recent venture includes the launch of its seventh annual Light Up A Life campaign in honor of Monday's National Day of Service. Crewmembers across JetBlue's 75-city network have joined together to decorate and deliver 2,000 Sweet Cases with community partner Together We Rise (TWR), an organization that improves the lives of foster children across the nation. Crewmembers will also adorn 200 SoaringQuilts with SoaringWords, to deliver to children who suffer from serious illnesses to aid the healing process with creative and educational activities.

JetBlue's service out of T.F. Green International Airport
JetBlue officially took to the skies out of T.F. Green International Airport on November 29, 2012 with two daily flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and one daily flight to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL). Service between Providence and Florida will be operated on the value airline's fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring many premium offerings, including a first checked bag free (a), assigned leather seating with legroom to spare, and more than 140 channels of complimentary live television and radio on personal seatback screens (b). The airline, well-known for its superior and personable customer service, also offers a free and unlimited assortment of name brand snacks and drinks for the ride.

Customers traveling between Providence and Orlando can conveniently connect onwards to three other cities in JetBlue's route network: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; or Nassau, The Bahamas. JetBlue offers service from six additional New England airports, including: Burlington, Vt.; Hartford, Conn.; Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Mass.; Portland, Maine; and Boston, where JetBlue is the largest carrier and serves 45 nonstop destinations. 

About the Hasbro Children's Hospital Read to Me program
The Hasbro Children's Hospital Read to Me program gives children the tools they need to learn to love reading. Volunteers provide an interesting and educational activity for children to participate in while they wait to see their doctors. The volunteers also serve as literacy role models, encouraging both children and parents to realize the great significance of reading. At every clinic visit, the doctor gives the child a new book to take home. This supports the hospital's philosophy that books are important. In the past year, the program has distributed over 10,000 books to patients.

About JetBlue Airways       
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline™ with other focus cities in Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Juan and Orlando. Known for its award-winning service and free TV as much as its low fares, JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch)  as well as super-spacious Even More Space seats. JetBlue is also America's first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue's control. Visit www.jetblue.com/promise for details. JetBlue serves 75 cities with 750 daily flights and plans to launch service to Albuquerque, New Mexico; Charleston, S.C.; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Medellin, Colombia subject to government approval in 2013. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information call +1 800-538-2583 (TTY/TDD +1 800-336-5530) from the USA, or visit www.jetblue.com.

(a) Free first bag subject to weight and size limits and exceptions for itineraries including flights marketed or operated by other airlines.

(b) Live satellite TV and radio programming is not available on flights operating outside the continental U.S.  Where applicable, JetBlue may offer complimentary JetBlue Features™ movies on these flights.  

SOURCE JetBlue Airways