LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, United Airlines announced a $1 million grant to First Place for Youth in support of their My First Place program. The four-year investment will enable First Place to expand wraparound support services to 50 percent more foster youth in the region. First Place will strengthen career-focused programming and provide the tools to help secure meaningful employment and increase lifetime earning potential for Angeleno foster youth.

With this grant, First Place for Youth will dramatically expand its reach, moving more high-risk foster youth 16 to 24 years old from homelessness into safe, affordable apartments and giving them the skills they need to compete in the job market and to realize long-term self-sufficiency. The Los Angeles nonprofit will be able to enroll more young people in academically rigorous linked learning programs that result in industry-recognized certificates that can lead to a living-wage career.

"As California's global airline, United cares deeply about investing in the state's future," said United's President of California Janet Lamkin. "Los Angeles County is home to one-third of California's foster youth and we are proud to help First Place target growth in high-needs areas of the community, like South Los Angeles, and help ensure California's youth have increased access to high-quality programs that lead to employment in a wide variety of fields, including aviation."

"Everyone deserves access to the opportunity to earn a paycheck and succeed, especially our most vulnerable young people," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "Through our HIRE LA's Youth program, partners like United Airlines and First Place For Youth are helping our young people find jobs, start careers, and realize their dreams."

Over the next four years, United's investment in the My First Place program will help First Place for Youth provide Los Angeles' foster youth with safe, stable housing, individualized education and employment counseling and healthy living support services. United will work hand-in-hand with the local organization and engage with city and community leadership to create profound, sustainable advancements for the city's foster youth population.

"We are so grateful for the incredible generosity of United Airlines as they expand their impact in Los Angeles. With this investment, First Place will support more than 650 young people who grew up in foster care, helping them move into their first apartment, make progress in school, and secure jobs that lead to living-wage careers. We believe that all young people deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential in life," said Hellen Hong, Interim CEO and Chief Regional Office at First Place for Youth.

Today's announcement is the fifth in a series of announcements United is making in all of its domestic hub markets over the coming weeks. Each grant is a part of a total of $8 million in grants to help address critical needs identified by local leadership in each of its hub market communities – Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Newark/New York and Washington, D.C. The announcement represents United's commitment to invest in and lift up the communities where many of its customers and employees live and work.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 4,600 flights a day to 357 airports across five continents. In 2017, United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 148 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 757 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express carriers operate 551 regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193 countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL".

About First Place For Youth

First Place for Youth serves nearly 2,000 foster youth, ages 16-24, across California each year and is the state's largest provider of housing and support services for this vulnerable population. Program participants receive safe, stable housing, individualized education and employment counseling, and healthy living support services so that they can build the skills necessary to make a successful transition to adulthood. Headquartered in Oakland, CA, First Place operates its Southern California regional office in Los Angeles, and county offices in Contra Costa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Solano, as well as through affiliate partnerships in Boston, MA and the state of Mississippi. Since 1998, First Place has supported more than 10,000 foster kids in beating the odds and proving that more is possible. For more information, visit firstplaceforyouth.com, follow @FPFY on Twitter, or connect on Facebook.

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SOURCE United Airlines