United Goes Back to School with $1.25M Funds to DonorsChoose

United is kicking off the school year with a $1.25 million donation through education nonprofit DonorsChoose, funding aviation and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classroom projects across the country.

United will triple the amount of donations for DonorsChoose aviation projects submitted by teachers in nine markets and match funding for STEM projects at Equity Focus Schools.

For the second year in a row, United's contributions will help bring aviation and select STEM-focused projects to life as they're posted on DonorsChoose over the next few months. If teachers in the selected cities are interested in submitting a project to be considered for funding, and viewing 2023 funded projects, they can visit donorschoose.org/united. Participating cities include Chicago, New York,,Denver, Washington, D.C., Houston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, as well as in Phoenix and across Hawaii.

"This program is a testament to United's commitment to diversifying our workforce and removing barriers to STEM and aviation education and careers for underrepresented groups," said Helon Hammond, VP of Global Learning, People and Community Impact for United.

"Last year, we were able to help fund 2,592 projects across our hub cities and target markets. We're proud to collaborate with DonorsChoose for the second year in a row and continuing efforts to support the organization as their sole aviation partner."

DonorsChoose was founded in 2000 by a high school teacher. According to a 2024 survey by the nonprofit, educators spend an average of $610 of their own money on supplies for their students, and the cost is higher for teachers of color and teachers at Equity Focus Schools.

DonorsChoose empowers public school teachers to request the classroom resources they need for their students, and supporters who feel inspired to give can help fund those resources. DonorsChoose ensures the integrity of funding at every step of every project by vetting all requests, purchasing each item, and shipping materials directly to verified teachers.

"United Airlines is helping the new school year take off on a strong note," said Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose. "By directly funding DonorsChoose projects, United Airlines will fulfill ideas and programs that will inspire students to explore futures in aviation and STEM."

With nearly 100,000 employees worldwide, United offers a wide variety of career opportunities within the STEM field ranging from pilots, aviation maintenance technicians, flight dispatchers, and network planners.

Last year United also gave $1.25 million to DonorsChoose in support of aviation projects, making a total of $2.5 million in just the last two years.