Friday, March 21, 2008

Delta’s Force for Global Good Marks Record Year for Fund-raising on behalf of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Delta customers, employees raise $500,000 in 2007 alone; donations reach nearly $1 million since launch of partnership in 2005
Delta’s signature Pink Plane flies year-round to raise awareness in the search for a cure for breast cancer


2007 was particularly pretty in pink as Delta Air Lines’ (NYSE: DAL) customers and employees rallied to raise $500,000 through donations and pink product sales for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and translational research to find ways to prevent and cure breast cancer.

Today, Delta employees and Joanne Smith, Delta’s senior vice president of In-Flight Services and Global Product, presented Evelyn Lauder, BCRF founder and chairman, and Myra Biblowit, BCRF president, with a symbolic pink check at SKY360 by Delta, the airline’s experiential lounge located in the heart of Manhattan.

“Through the incredible generosity of our customers and employees worldwide, 2007 was the third and most successful year of fund-raising at Delta on behalf of BCRF, an organization that works tirelessly toward their mission of achieving prevention and finding a cure for breast cancer,” Smith said. “$500,000 was raised through donations and pink product sales last year alone. Together, our employees and customers continue to show their profound and unwavering commitment to helping raise both awareness and funds toward the fight against breast cancer which will, one day, lead to a cure.”

BCRF is a partner in Delta’s Force for Global Good, the airline’s program to unite its employees and customers in philanthropic and socially responsible efforts throughout the world. “The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is honored to be a premiere member of Delta’s Force for Global Good. BCRF would not be able to fund ground-breaking breast cancer research without the passionate support of Delta’s dedicated employees and customers,” Biblowit said. “The only thing standing between breast cancer and a cure is money. Delta’s nearly $1 million contribution leads the way in closing this gap”.

Through the Delta Foundation, Delta’s charitable organization that supports communities where Delta customers and employees live and work worldwide, Delta announced its contribution to the funding of a dedicated research team late last year. The team includes co-researchers, Dr. Ian Smith and Dr. Mitch Dowsett of The Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research in London, England. The aim of Drs. Smith and Dowsett's work is to identify more accurately which patients are most likely to benefit from (or be resistant to) a group of hormone-blocking agents known as aromatase inhibitors, which have been used as a hormone treatment of choice for postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer.

In addition, throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month last October, Delta sold its signature pink product, pink lemonade, to customers onboard nearly all Delta flights worldwide for $2 each glass. Delta flight attendants and airport customer service agents also purchased and donned pink ties, scarves, decorative pocket squares and T-shirts to raise awareness for the cause. Delta employees also had the option to wear jeans, along with the specially designed Delta and BCRF signature T-shirt for a $5 donation each weekend during October with all proceeds benefiting BCRF.

Since 2005, when Delta's signature pink and white Boeing 757 first took flight, Delta has raised nearly $1 million for BCRF through donations from customers, employees and The Delta Foundation. The distinctive aircraft, which flies throughout the year to generate awareness for the cause, features BCRF's trademarked pink ribbon logo on the tail of the aircraft and adjacent to the boarding door.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and translational research. The Foundation supports scientists at top universities and academic medical centers worldwide conducting the most advanced and promising breast cancer research that will lead to prevention and a cure in our lifetime. A minimum of 85 cents of each dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly to breast cancer research and awareness programs.

In October 2007, $32 million awarded to 151 scientists across the United States and in Canada, Latin America, the Middle East, and throughout Europe. Money magazine named BCRF one of America’s eight top charities. And for the seventh consecutive year, BCRF received Charity Navigator’s highest rating, four stars, thus outperforming over 99% of the evaluated charities. The BCRF is the only breast cancer organization in the U.S. to receive this accolade. For more information, visit http://www.bcrfcure.org/ or call 1.866.FIND.A.CURE.

Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 315 destinations in 59 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 650 weekly flights to 65 destinations.

Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 14,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 744 worldwide destinations in 151 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As an environmentalist, I find milestones like this very encouraging, especially since Delta also is working to build a very solid pair of environmental programs in the area of carbon offsets and recycling.