Press release
United Airlines Employees Convert Cargo Facilities into Food Distribution Centers
Employee-led initiative supports local food banks as demands to feed families in need dramatically increases CHICAGO, April 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United
About this update from United Airlines Holdings, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Employee-led initiative supports local food banks as demands to feed families in need dramatically increases\n\n\nCHICAGO, April 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced that it has transformed one of its cargo facilities at George Bush Intercontinental Airport into a food distribution center to aid the Houston Food Bank's efforts to feed families in need during the COVID-19 crisis. \nThe idea to convert the cargo space came from one employee, Mark Zessin, a United baggage team member who spends his days making sure customers' belongings get where they need to. Now, he's leading a team of hard-working employee volunteers at the bustling facility.\n\"We take great pride in having employees throughout the United network who are always looking for ways to make every action count, even in these extremely trying times,\" said Sharon Grant, vice president of Global Community Engagement at United. \"This is a great example of the power in working together with our nonprofit partners on addressing their challenges and creating unique solutions to ensure the community is served.\"\nBeyond the distribution centers, United team members across the system are finding ways to support COVID-19 first responders and those impacted by the virus. To date, United has:\nDonated more than 159,000 pounds of food to food banks, hospitals and other organizations from United's catering facilities and Polaris lounges Donated 2,800 amenity kits to healthcare workers on the frontlines providing aid Donated $100k worth of advertising space in London to UNICEF to support its education efforts around COVID-19 and protecting children around the globe Operated more than 355 cargo charter flights that have moved over 5.6M kgs of cargo (including PPE, medical equipment, mail and other general cargo) Operated nearly 100 repatriation flights returning nearly 17,000 people home who were stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic Provided free flights for doctors, nurses and medical professionals traveling to New York, New Jersey and California to help battle COVID-19Employee volunteers in Houston are receiving, packing, sorting and distributing food and other items to families in need. To date, employees have sorted and bagged nearly 160,000 pounds of food and household products and volunteered nearly 5,000 hours.\n\"United and its team members are ...