For more than 150 years, Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has worked to help young people reach their full potential. In order to provide programs and services to the 3.6 million youth whose lives it touches every year, the nonprofit relies on the generosity of its partners.
Among these partners is Allegiant Travel Company. A Las Vegas-based company that connects travelers in small to medium-sized cities with affordable, world-class vacations, Allegiant has long history of supporting BGCA. In 2016, the company surprised members and staff at BGCA’s Fort Lauderdale, Florida, chapter with free flights.
More recently, Allegiant furthered its commitment to youth across the country by entering into a charitable-matching program with the nonprofit. For a limited time, Allegiant will match every new monthly donation, or every current monthly gift that is increased, up to $100,000, for a total of 12 months. In doubling the impact of monthly donations, Allegiant is helping BGCA to increase its ability to provide young people with meals, mentorship, homework help, and other valuable programs and services.
Along with matching donations, Allegiant is partnering with BGCA on an educational program designed to spark an interest in young people about aviation. The program, Aviation Journey, will appear on BGCA’s digital-learning platform and will teach thousands of youth about aeronautics.
The creation of Aviation Journey was announced in 2023, when Allegiant pledged $1 million to BGCA to develop the program. Aviation Journey was planned to launch first at the BGCA chapter in Allegiant’s hometown of Las Vegas before expanding to at least seven additional cities in which Allegiant regularly does business.
According to Allegiant president Greg Anderson, the goal of Aviation Journey is to inspire young people while providing the aviation industry with the much-needed workforce of tomorrow. In recent years, airlines have faced a severe pilot shortage, with one government estimate indicating there will be nearly 17,000 unfilled pilot positions annually in coming years.