Alaska Airlines Foundation Awards $430,000 in Grants to Inspire Young People

The nonprofit Alaska Airlines Foundation has awarded $430,000 in LIFT grants to 41 nonprofits in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. With this latest round of grants, the foundation has donated $750,000 this year to organizations in communities served by Alaska Airlines. Called by the heightened level of need during COVID-19, this is the largest cash distribution since the inception of the foundation.

As an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Alaska Airlines Foundation has supported nonprofits and communities for more than 20 years.

"Our first round of grants focused on immediate needs in communities as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, such as food security and safe shelter. But the impacts of the pandemic are widespread, and our core mission — supporting those working to address racial and educational equity by equipping, empowering, and inspiring young people — has never been more relevant," said Diana Birkett Rakow, Foundation chair and vice president of external relations at Alaska Airlines.

The Alaska Airlines Foundation is focused on programs and initiatives that connect young people to career opportunities and bring an equity lens, to focus and learn from communities.

"We're proud to support these nonprofits with LIFT grants, grateful to continue learning from their critical work and fortunate to have been able to increase the Foundation's giving during a time of challenge and crisis at multiple levels across our communities," said Birkett Rakow.

Cash grants were made to the following 41 organizations:

Washington:

• AtWork
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound
• CHOICES Education Group
• College Possible
• Communities in Schools of Washington State
• Juma Ventures
• Rainier Scholars
• Somali Community Services of Seattle
• Southwest Youth & Family Services
• Techbridge Girls
• Technology Access Foundation
• Treehouse
• Northwest African American Museum
• Northwest Education Access
• United Way of King County
• Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
• Washington Alliance for Better Schools
• Washington FIRST Robotics
• The Washington STEM Center
• Year Up, Inc.
• Young Men's Christian Association

Alaska:

• Alaska Development Corporation - FIRST
• Covenant House Alaska
• EXCEL Alaska, Inc.
• Junior Achievement of Alaska, Inc.
• Volunteers of America of Alaska

California:

• African American Community Services Agency
• Dev/Mission
• Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley
• Junior Achievement of San Diego County
• Mission Bit
• NatureBridge
• Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County

Hawaii:

• Adult Friends of Youth
• ClimbHI
• Girl Scouts of Hawaii
• Nalukai Foundation, Inc.

Oregon:

• College Possible New Avenues for Youth
• Junior Achievement of Oregon & SW Washington
• New Avenues for Youth
• Portland Workforce Alliance