Delta Honours Veterans with $350,000 Fisher House Gift and Airport Celebration in D.C.
Airline salutes service members with Boeing 757 christened the “Spirit of Freedom”
Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today capped a three-day celebration of veterans with a $350,000 gift to the Fisher House Foundation at Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C. The airline kicked off its military salute in Atlanta on Friday, Nov. 9, with the dedication of the “Spirit of Freedom,” a Boeing 757 honouring men and women who currently serve or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including more than 10,000 Delta employees.
Congressman John Kline, Minn., who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and is chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, joined Andrea Newman, Delta’s senior vice president – Government Affairs, and Tad Hutcheson, Delta’s vice president – Community Affairs in presenting the gift to the Fisher House today.
“Delta is a longstanding supporter of Fisher House, because we strongly believe in their mission of providing, without charge, a safe, comforting environment for families of service members during their medical stay,” said Newman. “On behalf of Delta’s 80,000 employees, I want to personally thank Fisher House for the tremendous work they do.”
The gift will support veterans and families receiving treatment at military medical centers. It comes in part from the Delta Sky Club®, which donated 10 percent of proceeds from new memberships purchased in July.
During today’s gate celebration at DCA, Delta employees handed out commemorative stickers to passengers in honour of Veterans Day.
Atlanta
On Friday, Nov. 9, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, Delta CEO Richard Anderson, other military and elected officials, and hundreds of employees gathered at Delta’s Technical Operations Center in Atlanta to mark the christening of the “Spirit of Freedom,” which now bears a commemorative logo.
“At Delta, we have an obligation to support our employee servicemen and servicewomen, our veterans and the millions of others on active duty who fly with us each year,” said Anderson. “In honour of their brave acts of service, selflessness and sacrifice, we are proud to dedicate this aircraft.”
Delta’s Veterans Employee Network collected letters and coordinated care packages for service members stationed abroad through a partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and the USO. Delta flight attendants also collected more than 3,000 thank you letters to send to those serving our country this Thanksgiving.
Delta and the U.S. Armed Forces
Delta’s commitment to military service members extends year-round across the travel experience and includes:
- Volunteer efforts at USO lounges across the U.S., including contributing to the establishment of a permanent USO lounge in Detroit Metropolitan Airport’s McNamara Terminal;
- Operating more than 2,000 military charter flights in 2012;
- Donating millions of miles to military support organizations like the Fisher House Foundation and USO;
- Recognizing military members in uniform by providing First Class and BusinessElite® upgrades when seats are available, as well as priority boarding and complimentary Delta Sky Club access nationwide;
- The Delta Honour Guard, an employee-led group at more than a dozen U.S. airports that administers flag ceremonies and uses specially themed patriotic ground equipment to transport fallen heroes returning home; and
- A pledge to hire more veterans by 2020 as part of its participation in the 100,000 Jobs Mission.
In July, Delta accepted the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for exceptional support of Guard and Reserve employees. Delta is the first airline to receive the honour in a decade.
About Fisher House Foundation
Fisher House Foundation is best known for the network of comfort homes built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. The Fisher Houses are 5,000 to 16,800 square-foot homes, donated to the military and Department of Veterans Affairs, where families can stay while a loved one is receiving treatment. Additionally, the Foundation ensures that families of service men and women wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan are not burdened with unnecessary expense during a time of crisis.
Located in close proximity to the medical center or hospital it serves, each Fisher House consists of between 8 and 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, spacious dining room and an inviting living room with a library and toys for children. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is no fee to stay in a Fisher House. Since inception, the program has saved military and veteran families an estimated $192 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation.
Fisher House Foundation operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans.
