American Airlines has decided to help local communities for the month. The decision comes in light of the coronavirus pandemic and the crisis that has led to fewer meals being served onboard aircraft and in lounges. The airline joined hands with the Let’s Empower Employment (LEE) Initiative. The initiative aims to provide meals for restaurant workers who are currently facing limited hours or no work due to business closures.
The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in a huge economical crisis in the U.S. as well as the rest of the world. The restaurant industry is one of the worst-hit sectors due to the virus spread. Most restaurants are either closed or operating on limited hours and impacting the workers.
Therefore, The LEE Initiative is running a Restaurant Workers Relief Program through which restaurant workers can pick up meals and take them home. As American Airlines has a surplus of food, the company worked with the initiative to donate the meals in Chicago and Washington D.C rather than wasting them. American recently donated around 25,000 meals to the same initiative in Chicago and Washington D.C.
Ron DeFeo, Senior Vice President of Global Engagement, American Airlines said in a press statement that the LEE Initiative is a great example of working within communities and nonprofits in a unique way to help provide necessities in an unprecedented time. He mentioned that communities across the country witnessed a rise in the need for meals. He informed that as American Airlines had a surplus of food due to the decreased demands for air travel, it decided to contribute to a good cause.
Volunteers distributing the meals are gloves and masks to maintain hygiene and safety. The meals are also sealed off in tins. Individuals collecting the meals stand outside the facility in order to follow social distancing measures undertaken to curb the spread of the virus. According to reports, American has donated more than 200,000 pounds of food to local organizations like food banks, hospitals, and nonprofits since this crisis began. Most of the food is in-flight dining services.
