Photos by Ingrid Barrentine. 

Alaska’s holiday sweater is back! This year we are selling our sweaters for a good cause to provide holiday meals to those in need in our communities.

All proceeds from sales of our holiday sweaters will be donated to United Way’s Ride United Last-Mile Delivery initiative, which partners local United Ways with DoorDash and its “Dashers” (drivers) to deliver food from local food banks, food pantries and other distribution points to senior citizens, low income families and those who can’t leave home.

Since 2017, Alaska Airlines has spread holiday cheer by offering guests wearing any kind of holiday sweater priority boarding on National Ugly Sweater Day. Unfortunately, due to social distancing guidelines and new boarding processes, we will not be offering this one-day promotion. However, we invite guests to purchase their own Alaska Ugly Sweater and give back to the community at: companystore.alaskaair.com.

If our holiday sweaters run out, don’t worry, you can still support United Way by visiting their website.

We are grateful for this generous donation that will support our food relief efforts, particularly during the holiday season, when so many in our community are still struggling. This gift illustrates Alaska Airlines’ strong support for the community and for our long-standing partnership, as we try to meet the tough challenges caused by the pandemic,” said Gordon McHenry, Jr., United Way of King County president and CEO.

Chief Football Officer Russell Wilson also joined in the effort with giving to United Way through his Why Not You Foundation.

I love to give back. And what’s better than giving back to our communities while dressed in Alaska Airlines’ famous holiday sweater?” Wilson said. “Together, let’s help out the United Way’s Ride United Last-Mile Delivery program and look fly while doing it.”

2020 holiday sweaters helped Alaska donate one million meals.

When the pandemic began impacting the U.S. earlier this year, we launched our #MillionMealsChallenge to give one million meals to food banks across the country.

Through this challenge we donated 1,394,214 meals to those in need. Besides our donation to United Way, we also donated food from our local kitchens to food banks, we matched our employees’ donations to local food banks and also supported through grants from the Alaska Airlines Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of the airline.

We are so proud and beyond grateful to all of our guests, partners and employees who have helped us provide one million meals to communities and people we serve across the country,” said Joelle Nausin, community relations manager. “With the pandemic impacting so many people’s ability to get out and visit food banks, this effort is critical.”