Bombardier Learjet donates award proceeds of $10,000 to the United Way Laid-Off Workers Fund

NOTE TO MEDIA: Photo/video opportunity today, August 4, 5:30 p.m. at the Laid-Off Workers Center, West River Plaza, 2622 W. Central, Wichita; Scheduled to attend are David Coleal, vice president/general manager Learjet product line business aircraft, John Dieker, and general manager Learjet operations.

WICHITA, Kan., Aug. 4, 2009 -- Bombardier Learjet in Wichita is donating proceeds of a $10,000 corporate award to the United Way Laid-Off Workers Fund. The local Bombardier Learjet Strategic Transformation Project won this year’s Annual Accomplishment Award for a Large Scope Initiative. This project was up against 71 projects across Bombardier Aerospace.

“We really appreciate Bombardier Learjet donating their award proceeds,” said Patrick J. Hanrahan, president of United Way of the Plains. “This will help us to continue to help laid-off workers in our community.”

The donation will help United Way of the Plains continue to provide emergency financial assistance to local laid-off workers through the Laid-Off Workers Center. United Way has provided $105,735 in financial assistance to families during the Laid-Off Workers Center’s June and July sessions.

Donations to the fund can be made by checks payable to “United Way Laid-Off Workers Fund” and mailed to United Way of the Plains, 245 N. Water, Wichita, KS 67202.

To qualify for help through the Laid-Off Workers Center, laid-off workers must:

• Pre-register to set up an appointment by calling the United Way’s information number 2-1-1;
• Have been laid off and approved for unemployment compensation sometime since October 1, 2008 (not fired, quit, or on medical leave);
• Show that they have emergency financial needs and have insufficient personal resources to adequately provide food, clothing and/or shelter; and
• Have been laid off from a job in Sedgwick, Butler or Sumner counties, or lived in those counties at the time of the layoff, between Oct. 1, 2008, and the present.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Delane Butler, Vice President of Marketing, 267-1321