One Million Dollars Of Thanks: Southwest Airlines Donates More Than One Million Dollars In Travel Awards To 52 Nonprofit Organizations Across The Country

Airline selects winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations out of more than 2,500 contest submissions each to receive 100 domestic one-way Southwest travel awards

Southwest airline logoDALLAS, Nov. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) has selected the 52 nonprofit organizations, including Canine Companions, to each receive 100 domestic one-way Southwest travel awards to help spread kindness and support their missions. The winning organizations were chosen as part of a contest the carrier launched in September after achieving one million Acts of Kindness* in 2021, a goal set to celebrate Southwest’s 50th Anniversary.

“As we reflect on our 50th Anniversary celebration, the one million Acts of Kindness challenge and the One Million Dollars of Thanks contest stand out as particularly memorable programs. They underscore the Heart of our Values for more than 50 years: kindness and following The Golden Rule—treating others as you would like to be treated,” said Linda Rutherford, Executive Vice President People & Communications at Southwest Airlines. “We are inspired by the more than 2,500 organizations that entered the contest and shared their missions with us. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support the selected organizations and the work they are doing in their communities to impact the lives of others.”

The One Million Dollars of Thanks contest offered 501(c)(3) organizations an opportunity to enter to win 100 domestic, one-way Southwest travel awards to spread kindness and fulfill their mission-driven work. The contest initially detailed that travel awards would be given to 50 nonprofit organizations in celebration of Southwest’s 50th Anniversary; however, 52 organizations earned the carrier’s support by receiving perfect scores based on contest criteria. The total travel prize is 5,200 domestic, one-way Southwest travel awards at a value of more than $1 million.

Southwest launched the one million Acts of Kindness challenge in January 2021 to kick off a yearlong celebration of the airline’s 50th Anniversary of its first flight, celebrating half a century of connecting People and championing communities. Participants engaged in the challenge by signing the airline’s Kindness Pledge* and committing to complete Acts of Kindness for others. Each signature to the Kindness Pledge and Act of Kindness shared on social media using the hashtag #HeartinAction counted toward achieving the one million Acts of Kindness goal.

In the coming weeks, Southwest will feature some of these organizations and the work they do in a video series on the carrier’s official channels. For more information about the kindness challenge, Southwest’s 50th Anniversary, and these organizations visit Southwest50.com/actsofkindness.*

Read the full article on Southwest here*.

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