PHX Perspective

Sky Harbor Groups Give Back

With the holiday season upon us, it is a good time to reflect what we have and what we can do for others. Several groups at Phoenix Sky Harbor are doing their part to make the holiday season a bright one for those less fortunate.

Each year, the Community Noise Reduction Program (CNRP) participates in two holiday programs to help the community. The first one is the Adopt-a-Class at Wilson Elementary School. With this program, CNRP team members gather volunteers and donate money to purchase gifts for needy children at Wilson School. CNRP staff said that this helps ensure that the more than 800 children at the school do not go without a gift each holiday season. In 2009, CNRP adopted two classes and provided gifts and a holiday pizza party for about 60 students.

The second program that CNRP is active in is the Adopt-a-Family Sponsor to Tertulia – A Learning Community. With this program, again, volunteers are recruited and money is donated to purchase gifts and school supplies for a family with four children participating in the program. These families are low-income families who are experiencing hard times and would not be otherwise able to provide supplies and/or gifts for their family.

Delaware North Companies, which operates several restaurants at PHX Sky Harbor, also thought it was important to give back to the community. Bill Higgins, General Manager for Delaware North, said that on November 30, St. Mary’s Food Bank picked up 16 turkeys weighing approximately 333 lbs. Delaware North also gave St. Mary’s a portion of their surplus food, off menu items and items that received in error so that it could be put to use by those needing it.

City of Phoenix Aviation Department employees also participate in an annual Adopt-a-Family program. Four local families with extreme need are selected and those interested in assisting, pick tags off a tree with an item to donate.

And, US Airways employees are going to lend their voices during the evening of Monday, December 14, by caroling through the Airport and providing holiday entertainment for travelers. Starting off at the US Airways Headquarters in Tempe, the carolers will start singing on the light rail before making their way to the US Airways Checkpoints on Level 3 in Terminal 4 around 6 p.m.