US Airways Education Foundation To Award $270,000 In Grants To Nonprofits In Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix And Washington

TEMPE, Ariz., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The US Airways Education Foundation will award $270,000 in grants this year to nonprofit organizations in the airline's hub cities of Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. Organizations may apply for a minimum of a $10,000 grant from the Foundation's Community Education Grant program at usairways.com/corporategiving starting April 1. Grants will be awarded to children's educational programs aimed to increase academic achievement for those they serve. Since 1992, the US Airways Education Foundation has awarded nearly $4.9 million in scholarships and grants.

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The grant application must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. PDT July 1, 2013. The program is open to nonprofit organizations located within the airline's hub cities of Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., with qualifying children's educational programs meeting one or more of the following criteria:

• Educational programs that focus on learning and academic achievement for economically disadvantaged children age 18 and younger.
  • At least 75 percent of the population served by the program must qualify for free and reduced price meals.

• Educational programs that focus on learning and academic achievement for developmentally disabled children age 18 and younger.
  • At least 75 percent of the population served by the program must qualify for special needs education as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

• Programs that increase student interest and academic achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) for children age 18 and younger.
  • Innovative, evidence-based programs designed to increase the participation and academic achievement of students in STEM.

The following organizations received $10,000 grants last year:

• Charlotte, N.C. – Allegro Foundation, Discovery Place, Freedom School Partners, Junior Achievement of Charlotte and Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of the Central Carolinas 
• Philadelphia – Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia Inc., Chester County Futures Inc., iPRAXIS Inc., North Penn Valley Boys & Girls Club and Philadelphia Futures
• Phoenix – Arizona Science Center, Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, Elevate Phoenix, Hands On Greater Phoenix and the Phoenix Symphony
• Washington, D. C. – Higher Achievement Program, Inc. and Resources for Inner City Children

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, corporate contributions, private donations and fundraising events, such as the popular Suitcase Soirées in Charlotte and Philadelphia, and a golf tournament in Phoenix. Due to these contributions, more than $667,000 in scholarship and grants will be awarded by the Foundation in 2013.

In addition to support of the Education Foundation, 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 the annual "Hope Takes Flight" campaign benefitting the United Way. In 2012, US Airways and its employees gave more than $9 million in cash and travel contributions to nonprofit organizations that enrich, educate and engage the communities served by the airline. To learn more visit www.usairways.com/corporategiving.

About US Airways Education Foundation
The US Airways Education Foundation supports educational initiatives for children by providing grants to nonprofit organizations in the airline's hub cities of Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. and college scholarship to dependents of US Airways employees. The Foundation's Board of Directors is comprised of an elected group of community members and US Airways employees charged with the responsibility to govern and manage the Foundation to support its mission of investing in education programs that promote academic achievement.

About US Airways 
US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,000 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 1,329 airports in 194 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 of Vets employer in 2011 and 2012. 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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