Following a Successful Summer in Detroit, JetBlue’s Soar with Reading Program Will Travel to Fort Lauderdale in 2017
By Icema Gibbs
Since launching our award-winning Soar with Reading program in 2011, JetBlue has provided more than $2.25 million worth of books to children in need throughout our network. This is no small feat. Countless crewmembers, community leaders and customers have helped as we set out to encourage kids’ imaginations to take flight through reading.
After five years of running a successful program, we took a step back to evaluate if we were making a real impact and if we were actually getting books into the hands of kids who needed them the most. We knew we were getting the books into the right hands, we just weren’t sure it was having a big enough social impact) We also developed established an advisory board of educators and community leaders and engaged select community partners to determine geographic trends specific needs.
Icema Gibbs is the director of corporate social responsibility at JetBlue. Gibbs is responsible for JetBlue’s corporate citizenship, working to enhance the company’s brand platform through global cause marketing and philanthropic initiatives. Through her leadership, JetBlue’s award winning Corporate Social Responsibility efforts have been recognized and applauded in the United States and abroad. Gibbs is one of JetBlue’s founders, having been with the airline long before it took to the skies.
