GWAO Charities
About Corporate
Angel Network
For nearly 30 years Corporate Angel Network’s goal has been to ease the emotional stress, physical discomfort, and financial burden of travel for cancer patients by partnering with over 500 corporations across the United States to provide empty seats for patients traveling to treatment. Our staff of six, working with 50 part-time volunteers, matches patient requests with routine business flights.
Since its founding in 1981, CAN has arranged more than
35,000 flights.
Bonnie LeVar, Communications Director for CAN says:
"As a public charity, Corporate Angel Network is entirely dependent on donations and grants. For 22 years, the Greater Washington Aviation Open has been one of our largest donors, and an increasing source of funding. We could not continue our work without your invaluable support."
Corporate Angel Network, Inc.
Westchester County Airport
One Loop Road
White Plains, NY 10604
Tel: (914) 328-1313 | Fax: (800) 328-4226
www.corpangelnetwork.org
[email protected]
Veterans Airlift Command
Our mission statistics are as follows:
In 2010, we flew 1308 passengers over 800,000 miles with an "in-kind aircraft operation expense value of over $2.5 million dollars. 75% of our passengers were wounded warriors, with the balance primarily family members/caregivers. Destinations/trip purposes ranged from hospitals to hometowns (directly), to rehab hunting trips or sporting events, to unit reunions (outpatients traveling to meet their battle buddies when the units return to the US). We flew a good number home for Thanksgiving (on one day's notice) due to a returning unit keeping potential TBI patients in medical hold prior to release home… but just before Thanksgiving. So they could go home on pass if they could find last minute transportation. Well, we got guys home to Boston, VT, GA, TN and SC in private jets both ways for the Holiday… some happy campers!
Our mission statistics do not begin to identify the depth of the impact our mission has. One of our missions was filmed for the Bob Woodruff Foundation fundraising event in NYC (STAND UP FOR THE TROOPS)… I was present for the filming and listened to a young soldier and his wife relate (nearly in tears) what it was like the last time he flew commercially. Not only did he have prosthetic leg, but a TBI. He was frustrated with the TSA "shakedown" including the removal of his newly acquired leg… he decided to leave it off and ride the wheelchair they had provided out to the gate…then hop to the airplane. Which he did, until his foot caught at the lip of the entrance to the aircraft and he fell onto the galley floor, humiliation now complete. The video (seen by the audience of 2500 including four Presidents) reflected the care with which he was handled by the owner of a Citation Jet. The father of a West Point Graduate flew out from St. Louis to pick this young man and his family up to deliver them home to Ft. Riley, KS for some convalescent leave and to allow him to bring his auto back to Walter Reed. The story went out to all of the pilot's friends, I'm sure to all of the passenger's friends, AND to whomever has viewed the Woodruff video. The Soldier's buddies are encouraged by the gesture (knowing that there are individuals willing to give deeply and personally in support of our wounded warriors), and the pilot's friends get to hear about the quality of the men and women serving in harms way on our behalf.
This is an example of the triple play we get with every mission. Business / community leaders get hands on participation in serving our wounded. Short of our relationship with them thru our recruiting efforts and maintaining a top-shelf operation that keeps them involved, this couldn't happen. For every mission we fly, an average of 50 aircraft owners read the story of the trip request (meaning the soldier's "war story" ) in our email blast to fill the mission. So even if they don't' get to fly the mission they stay connected thru the stories.
Another November occurrence is a perfect metaphor for our work. A wounded warrior (who was previously a passenger )credits the VAC with giving him hope and the feeling that his sacrifice was warranted due to the personal attention and kindness afforded him last year. This year at Thanksgiving, he was unable to get home to TX from Ft Bragg, but had an even better experience. The pilot who flew him home last year, and has maintained contact, flew to Ft. Bragg and picked up the whole family and took them to the mountains of NC and welcomed them to their home/community for Thanksgiving weekend…. I got a Facebook note from the soldier's wife thanking us profusely for "bringing these wonderful people into our lives". 30 guests joined them at our volunteer pilot's home for Thanksgiving dinner. A Friendship for life came of a "lift home".. This is a common occurrence. And difficult to measure.
Also, in NOV, we received a donation from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation of two high end electric wheelchairs, suited for severely injured (TBI/Spinal). We put them up for silent auction to our volunteers with the proviso that they be given to deserving wounded warriors. Jose Pequeno (one of our most severely wounded still living), was presented a chair by Window World (who had flown Jose and his family), and another was purchased by one of our volunteers to be presented to the Shepherd Center (TBI and Spinal care) in Atlanta, where we have delivered many patients by private air for over 3 years. Again, untold numbers will hear of this act brought about by volunteers of the VAC. (Kathy Ireland is the national spokesperson for Window World, and they have just filmed a PSA which highlights their work with the VAC, which will get much play nationally, including a 30 second spot during the miss America Pageant this month.)
I think you will be proud to be affiliated with an organization representing your supporters in this way. We look forward to working with you to make your event ever more successful.
T.C. Williams Scholarship
More information coming soon!
