As part of American’s ongoing relief efforts in support of the coronavirus (COVID-19) response, the airline is allocating $460,000 to support UNICEF’s relief work in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, helping address the needs of children and families by:
- Providing supplies to at-risk and affected communities, including water, sanitation & hygiene items, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and basic health kits.
- Supporting interventions for infection prevention and control in health facilities, schools and communities.
- Promoting hygiene education to limit transmission and protect individuals from exposure.
Donations collected through UNICEF’s Change for Good program in 2019 will be allocated toward this effort. American Airlines flight attendants, also known as Champions for Children, participate in the Change for Good program by collecting international and domestic currency on select international flights. Last year the program raised more than $1.2 million dollars. Since 1994, American has been the participating U.S. airline in the UNICEF campaign.
“Serving the communities we call home is at the heart of everything we do at American,” said Jill Surdek, Senior Vice President – Flight Service. “American has a long and proud history in Latin America, and we are thankful that because of the great work that our ‘Champions’ do every year, we’re able to provide relief to communities that are battling this pandemic.”
“American Airlines and their passengers have been true advocates for children through their support of UNICEF for over 25 years, and in these unprecedented times, their commitment to helping children and families is vitally important,» said Gabriella Morris, Interim Chief Development Officer at UNICEF USA. “Working together will allow us to support families, equip front-line health workers and help keep children and communities healthy and safe.”
Although American has significantly reduced their flying schedule worldwide, people can still donate to the Change for Good program in this time of need at www.unicefusa.org/aa.
Let Good Take Flight
American Airlines is committed to caring for people on life’s journey and remains dedicated to addressing the needs of different communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In cooperation with its generous customers, American has raised more than $2.5 million to support the American Red Cross and its volunteers who are on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Supply kits have been provided to The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis to support medical professionals on the frontlines. American provided care packages to military bases to be shared with troops who are quarantined after returning from deployment. As a result of excess inventory due to a reduced flying schedule, American is donating many tons of food to food banks across the country. American team members at multiple locations, including Miami International Airport (MIA), Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) and Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) are sewing masks for their coworkers and members of the community to wear. The airline also worked with the U.S. Department of State to operate repatriation flights to bring U.S. citizens home from abroad. American continues to operate cargo-only flights, transporting necessary supplies, including personal protective equipment, to the frontlines of the COVID-19 effort.
