NEWARK, N.J., July 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines
(UAL) announced today a $2 million
grant to be split between the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Urban League of Essex County, and Year Up New York. These
organizations were selected for their work within the local
communities that surround Newark Liberty International Airport and
their dedication to vital workforce development programs giving
people opportunities for the future.
"We are thrilled to be able to provide support to multiple
New York and New Jersey communities to help individuals
build their professional and personal development job skills," said
Jill Kaplan, president, New York/New
Jersey for United Airlines. "The Community FoodBank of
New Jersey, Urban League of
Essex County, and Year Up New York
align to our core values as a company and the grants will provide
new opportunities for each organization to further promote their
missions."
United's contribution of a half-million dollars to the Community
FoodBank of New Jersey, which
serves the city of Elizabeth and
neighboring counties, will support the Food Service Training
Academy (FSTA). The Academy is a 15 week culinary program which
provides the skills and training necessary for an entry-level job
in the food-service industry. FSTA is open to low-income people who
are facing obstacles to employment, including formerly incarcerated
individuals seeking re-entry, people in recovery from substance use
disorders and women re-entering the workforce.
"The Food Service Training Academy exemplifies the Community
FoodBank of New Jersey's
commitment to addressing poverty, the root cause of hunger, by
providing graduates with marketable job skills that can lead to a
living wage," said Carlos Rodriguez,
President & CEO, Community FoodBank of New Jersey. "United's generous contribution
will sponsor the recruitment and education of incoming FSTA
students to help break the cycle of poverty for dozens of
Elizabeth residents."
Further, the donation of a half-million dollars to Urban League
of Essex County will support the
development and improvement of a new soft skills program for
residents within the city of Newark, New
Jersey to support the Newark 2020 Hire. Buy. Live. initiative. The
organization supports disadvantaged urban residents through
programs that drive sustainable social and economic
self-sufficiency.
"The Urban League of Essex
County's mission is to help families achieve economic
self-sufficiency and we are very grateful for the generous grant
from United Airlines to help families secure meaningful employment
and manage their finances and build assets," said Vivian Cox Fraser, President and CEO, Urban
League of Essex County. "The grant
will allow the Urban League to provide integrated services to
families that will ensure longer term success. When we help
people develop the skills they need to compete for living-wage
jobs, we are creating opportunities to increase economic vitality
of our communities."
Lastly, the investment of one million
dollars to Year Up New York will support the organization in
its efforts to scale the program in New
York City and create a pilot software development track,
which will include data analytics, software development, and an
increased focus on cyber security.
"There is a growing technology job market in New York City that is out of reach for many
individuals," said John Galante,
Executive Director at Year Up New York. "United's investment in
Year Up New York's software development track and expansion will
enable us to train our young adults with the right skills that are
in-demand now and will continue to be in-demand in the future. The
impact of this work will change the lives of many and give
opportunities for deserving youth in New
York City."
Today's announcement is the sixth in a series of announcements
United is making in all its domestic hub markets over the coming
weeks. Each grant is a part of a total of $8
million in grants to help address critical needs identified
by local leadership in each of its hub market communities –
Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, San Francisco,
Newark/New York and Washington, D.C. The announcement represents
United's commitment to invest in and lift up the communities where
many of its customers and employees live and work. With these
grants, United will work hand-in-hand with local organizations and
engage with city and community leadership to create profound,
sustainable advancements.
About United
United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 4,600
flights a day to 357 airports across five continents. In 2017,
United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights
carrying more than 148 million customers. United is proud to have
the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S.
mainland hubs in Chicago,
Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, Newark/New York,
San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 757 mainline
aircraft and the airline's United Express carriers operate 551
regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193
countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit
united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The
common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc.,
is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL".
About Urban League of Essex County
The Urban League of Essex
County was founded in 1917 by William Ashby, the first black social worker in
New Jersey. The organization is an affiliate of the National
Urban League, the nation's oldest and largest community based
movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the
economic and social mainstream. The Urban League of
Essex County offers programs and
services in education, employment, housing and economic development
that empower communities and change
lives.
About The Community FoodBank of New Jersey
The Community FoodBank of New
Jersey, a member of Feeding America®, provides people across
the state with food, help and hope. The FoodBank distributed over
56 million pounds of food last year to its more than 1,000
community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency
shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs.
More than 4.7 million times a year, someone in need is fed by the
FoodBank's network of partners. For our neighbors, especially
families, and for the volunteers and donors who support them, the
Community FoodBank of New Jersey
is the powerful change agent that fills the emptiness caused by
hunger with the basic human essentials people need to survive.
About Year Up
Year Up is an award-winning, national 501(c)3 organization that
provides talented and motivated young adults ages 18-24 with the
skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach
their potential through professional careers and higher education.
Through a one-year, intensive training program, Year Up utilizes a
high support, high expectations model that combines marketable job
skills, stipends, coursework eligible for college credit, and
corporate internships at more than 250 top companies. Its holistic
approach focuses on students' professional and personal development
to enable young adults with a viable path to economic
self-sufficiency and meaningful careers. Year Up has served more
than 19,500 young adults since its founding in 2000, and will serve
more than 4,000 young adults in 2018 across 21 U.S. cities in
Arizona, Baltimore, Bay Area, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Greater
Atlanta, Greater Boston, Greater Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Los
Angeles, National Capital Region, New York City, Providence, Puget
Sound, South Florida and Wilmington. Year Up has been voted one of
the "Best Non-Profits to Work For" by The NonProfit Times for eight
consecutive years, and rated a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator
for twelve consecutive years, placing them in the top 1% of tracked
organizations.
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SOURCE United Airlines