The COVID-19 crisis has created a number of opportunities for Delta people to make a difference in the communities where we live and work. Since Delta has temporarily adjusted services on board and in Delta Sky Clubs, we have donated food and other provisions from warehouses around the globe to hospitals, schools, food banks and other organizations.
Total donations so far recently exceeded 1 million pounds, and the effort is still ongoing.
Elaine Schlaeger, Manager – Catering Operations, is one of many Delta people helping to distribute food to their local communities. “My daughter is a nurse in the New York Area Hospital, so this really hits home for me. Throughout this pandemic our healthcare workers are putting their lives at risk every day to save others,” said Elaine. “Being a part of a company that is helping healthcare workers and so many others in need around the world with food donations is really touching, and I am glad to be a part of it.”
Delta is donating food and beverages that would otherwise go unused and the number of donations increases each day. Delta is also donating food service items like utensils, bowls, napkins and packaging materials.
“We are so proud of our people who have seen the needs in communities around the world and acted with the resources Delta has to offer. That is what we like to call the Delta spirit,” said Allison Ausband, Senior Vice President – In-Flight Service. “Especially during the ongoing pandemic, we see our people going above and beyond the call of duty to serve others. One million pounds of food is astounding, and we will continue to give as long as we have resources to do so.”
Delta is working with longstanding U.S. partners including Feeding America, whose local organizations are distributing food to those in need. The airline has also developed new relationships with local organizations and chefs in communities seeing a significant need for food resources.
Internationally, Delta teams are similarly helping the communities in which they work, live and serve. In the Philippines, Delta donated more than 39,000 packs of snacks, 25,000 drinks, almost 5,000 packages of coffee and 600 packages of tea to COVID-19 frontline workers and first responders. Delta has also made donations in Senegal, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, El Salvador, Peru, Japan, Greece, Spain, France, Netherlands and the U.K.
Donating food is one of many ways Delta teams are demonstrating the indomitable Delta spirit during the ongoing pandemic. In April, Delta started providing free flights to medical professionals on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Delta TechOps and Delta Flight Products will also deliver up to 76 rapidly deployable pods to help military troops infected with COVID-19 return home. Additionally, Delta manufactured a total of 70,000 face shields to help protect hospital workers utilizing Delta’s wholly owned aircraft interiors subsidiary.