Piedmont Airlines Spreads Holiday Cheer Through the Angel Tree Program

This holiday season Piedmont Airlines team members brought the company’s values of Caring and Community to life by supporting children in need through the Angel Tree Program. 

An Angel Tree filled with wish-list tags stands in the CLT crew room, inviting team members to select a tag and help make the holidays brighter for children and families in need.

Across hubs, stations, maintenance bases, and training centers, 15 Angel Trees were placed throughout the system, each decorated with tags listing a child’s age, gender, and holiday wish. Team members across the organization stepped forward to adopt angels, transforming simple wish lists into meaningful acts of kindness. 

From Alabama to California to Arizona to Pennsylvania nearly a dozen stations, maintenance bases and hubs participated and adopted 260 angels, ensuring that every child’s holiday wish was fulfilled. In total, an estimated 600 gifts were donated, turning simple tags on a tree into moments of joy and hope for families throughout the communities Piedmont serves.   

The Angel Tree Program, a nationwide initiative, that partners with local organizations to support children who may otherwise go without during the holiday season. Each angel represents a real person in need, with tags outlining specific gift requests such as clothing, toys, books, or everyday essentials. By adopting an angel, volunteers commit to purchasing, wrapping, and returning gifts that are distributed locally before Christmas, creating a direct and meaningful connection between those who give and those who receive.

PHX Headquarters put a creative spin on the Angel Tree Program with a festive palm tree display, turning wish-list tags into “angel palms” and bringing a little Southwest flair to spreading holiday cheer for children and families in need.

One Team Making a Difference 

The success of this initiative was made possible by more than 300 Piedmont team members across 10 stations and 15 Angel Trees in multiple locations, who volunteered their time to shop, wrap, organize, and coordinate gifts. From flight crews and customer service agents to maintenance and administrative teams, the Angel Tree Program brought Piedmont team members together around a shared purpose of caring for and supporting our communities. 

For Renate Freundlich, Manager of Aircraft Cabin Condition in Philadelphia, PA (PHL) and a Professional Women in Aviation Employee Resource Group Board member, the experience was especially meaningful.  “Giving my time, energy, and money to make someone else’s Christmas better really resonated with me,” she shared. “We can all find ourselves in tough situations and compassion matters.” 

EWN team members celebrate their collective impact, coming together with Angel Tree gifts to spread holiday joy.

That sense of purpose was echoed by Staci McDonald, a Benefits Administrator in Harrisburg, PA (MDT) and Family Matters ERG Board member.  “Supporting our local Angel Tree has been incredibly rewarding,” Staci said. “Knowing these gifts will bring joy and relief to families makes all the effort worthwhile.” 

For Melissa Hood Julien, a Missed Baggage Record Allocation Analyst in Charlotte (CLT) and Family Matters ERG Board member, the program highlighted Piedmont’s connection to the communities we serve.  “It’s important for the community to know that Piedmont is connected to them,” Melissa shared. “We’re a family that extends outside the runway.” 

More Than an Airline 

The collaboration among several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) played a key role in organizing donation drives, coordinating volunteers, and preparing gifts for distribution. These efforts reflect Piedmont Airlines’ belief that caring for people and strengthening communities are just as important as getting passengers where they need to go. 

A few of the Angel Tree gifts collected from the PHL crew room, with Piedmont First Officer Audrey Hoffman helping deliver holiday cheer to children and families in need.

Through the Angel Tree Program, Piedmont team members showed that aviation careers can also be careers of service, compassion, and purpose.

Join a Team That Cares 

At Piedmont, community is not just something we support; it is something we build together. Whether through volunteer initiatives, Employee Resource Groups, or day-to-day teamwork, Piedmont offers opportunities to make a real impact while building a meaningful career. 

If you are looking to join a company where caring for people and communities is part of the mission, learn more about career opportunities and how you can be part of a team that gives back at piedmont-airlines.com/careers.

Family Matters ERG Board members in MDT wrap up the Angel Tree season by loading gifts for delivery, turning generosity into action and ensuring families feel supported this holiday season.

At Piedmont, you won’t be joining just an airline. You will be joining a team that values people, builds connections, and creates opportunities to impact lives every day.