JetBlue's Ninth Annual ‘Swing for Good' Golf Classic to Raise Funds for Three Youth-Focused Charitable Partners
NEW YORK, October 4, 2017 /3BL Media/ – JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU), known for its mission of inspiring humanity, today launched its ninth annual Swing for Good Golf Classic fundraising campaign at Bethpage State Golf Course in Bethpage, N.Y. Since 2008, JetBlue's marquee fundraising initiative has raised more than $4.8 million for its charitable partners focused on youth and education. This year’s non-profit partners include KaBOOM!, Together We Rise and The JetBlue Foundation.
"Swing for Good is one of my favorite events as we collaborate with our business partners, customers and crewmembers to raise much needed funds for youth-focused charities,” said Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s president and chief executive officer. “Our philanthropy and in-kind support focuses on youth, education and the community. In addition to supporting educational initiatives, we must keep our Puerto Rico and Caribbean communities and neighbors in mind. JetBlue is supporting relief and recovery efforts and we invite our customers, crewmembers and communities to join us.”
Swing for Good proceeds will benefit three youth-focused non-profit organizations:
- KaBOOM! -- Since 2005, JetBlue and longstanding partner – KaBOOM! – have worked together to fight the deficit of play for children in underserved neighborhoods by creating 25 safe play spaces throughout the airline’s network. Kids aren’t playing enough—and the consequences are devastating. These safe spaces are built in just one day powered by JetBlue volunteers. JetBlue has playground builds planned for later this fall in Los Angeles, New York City and Boston.
- Together We Rise -- JetBlue welcomes Together We Rise for the third year. This non-profit organization is led by young adults formerly in foster care and is focused on transforming the way youth navigate America's foster care system. JetBlue also partners with Together We Rise for JetBlue For Good bike builds and sweet case suit case deliveries to benefit children in foster care. This summer more than 300 crewmembers from JetBlue’s 11 maintenance stations volunteered to build bikes to donate to local foster care agencies.
- The JetBlue Foundation -- This JetBlue-sponsored private foundation encourages and advances aviation-related education. The JetBlue Foundation’s mission is to ignite interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs and place aviation top-of-mind as a career choice for students, especially those from traditionally underserved communities. Over the past four years, the JetBlue Foundation has built lasting relationships with more than 26 aviation-focused programs and provided nearly $512,000 in grants to help these programs take off.
How to get involved – JetBlue’s annual charitable fundraising campaign also includes the Bid for Good online auction, powered by Charity Buzz which takes place online from October 6-27, 2017. Bid for Good features one-of-a-kind opportunities and experiences such as:
- Deluxe JetBlue Vacations packages
- An opportunity to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a Boston Red Sox game
- A trip to the Boston Red Sox training camp
- Breakfast with members of JetBlue’s Executive Leadership Team
- A JetBlue flight simulator experience
- Access to VIP events and other exclusive experiences.
Given the recent devastation in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, JetBlue is also using its Swing for Good platform to raise funds and support for both short-term relief and long-term recovery efforts. Customers can contribute at GlobalGiving.org/jetblue to support the work of organizations on the ground. JetBlue has committed to match donations to its GlobalGiving campaign dollar-for-dollar up to $500,000 through Nov. 15. For more information visit http://blog.jetblue.com/100x35jetblue/.
JetBlue For Good, JetBlue’s platform for social impact and corporate responsibility -- Giving back is part of JetBlue’s DNA and is core to its mission of inspiring humanity. Centered around volunteerism and service, JetBlue For Good focuses on the areas that are most important to the airline’s customers and crewmembers - Community, Youth/Education and the Environment. JetBlue’s core programs and partnerships directly impact the areas where its customers and crewmembers live and work by enhancing education and providing access to those that are traditionally underserved. Signature programs include the award-winning Soar with Reading initiative which has provided more than $2.25 million worth of books to kids who need them most; Blue Horizons For Autism which helps introduce air travel in a realistic environment to families and children affected by autism; and Swing for Good which raises funds for education and youth focused non-profits.
Join the #JetBlueForGood conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, check for regular updates and get involved.
About Together We Rise
Together We Rise is a non-profit organization comprised of motivated young adults and former foster youth. Our vision is to improve the lives of foster children in America, who often find themselves forgotten and neglected by the public.
KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to the bold new goal of ensuring that all children, particularly the 16 million American children living in poverty, get the balanced and active play they need to thrive. KaBOOM! has been a powerful champion for play since its founding in 1996, working with partners to build, improve and open more than 15,000 playgrounds, engage more than 1,000,000 volunteers and serve more than 6,600,000 children. KaBOOM! creates and catalyzes great places to play, inspires, empowers and leads play advocates, and educates and elevates the societal conversation about the importance of play in children's lives. For more information, visit kaboom.org/act or follow the conversation on why #playmatters at twitter.com/kaboom or facebook.com/kaboom.
About The JetBlue Foundation
Founded in 2013, the JetBlue Foundation is committed to supporting aviation-related education in general and Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) in particular. The Foundation empowers and provides opportunities to underserved students and communities through local and national education institutions and aviation-related programs. For more information, please visit www.jetblue.com/inspiringhumanity.
About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 38 million customers a year to 101 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 1,000 daily flights. For more information please visit JetBlue.com.
