Wheels Up has unveiled its first orange Beechcraft King Air 350i in partnership with Textron Aviation in honour of Feeding America's Hunger Action Month. The orange aircraft is part of the ongoing Wheels Up Cares and Meals Up initiatives. Meals Up was created in March 2020 to help support the growing levels of food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis. This effort has already raised and inspired the equivalent of more than 47 million meals for Feeding America with participation from Wheels Up ambassadors and friends including Russell Wilson, Ciara, Tom Brady, JJ Watt, Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez and Joey Logano.

The Wheels Up orange aircraft is a flying symbol to raise awareness for food insecurity and in honour of Feeding America and the frontline workers at the 200 member food banks across the nation and, like all Wheels Up Cares aircraft, will be a permanent part of the Wheels Up fleet. It represents continued dedication from the Wheels Up team to combatting hunger in America as more than 50 million people could face hunger in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The control towers at New York's LaGuardia airport and the pylons at Los Angeles International recently lit up orange to help bring attention to the issue of hunger, taking note of the extenuating circumstances food banks are facing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Apparel brand Sportiqe has also joined the cause and donated 50,000 meals to take action against hunger.

“We kicked off the Meals Up initiative back in March with one purpose, to help feed people, and we knew then that the next Wheels Up Cares plane would be orange in support of fighting food insecurity and to raise awareness for Feeding America's Hunger Action Month,” says Kenny Dichter, founder and CEO of Wheels Up. “We are grateful to Ron Draper and Textron Aviation for once again donating the design and livery of the orange plane to shine a light on this important cause. We are excited that Textron Aviation has joined the Meals Up movement, and we are energised by its generous donation of 500,000 meals.”

“Wheels Up has been a steadfast partner to Feeding America. We thank it for its continued contributions and for helping us rally the nation to end hunger in our communities,” adds Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “Hunger Action Month is just that, a time for us all to act, and provide meals for the millions of Americans who need our help, especially during these unprecedented times.”

“Textron Aviation is honoured to be partnering with Kenny Dichter and Wheels Up, once again, in their Wheels Up Cares initiative,” comments Ron Draper, president and CEO of Textron Aviation. "Now more than ever, it is imperative that we come together to support the many people affected by this pandemic. In addition to the donation of the paint to the aircraft, we are proud to be providing a monetary gift to the Meals Up effort, which will provide more than 500,000 meals to feed members of our communities across the nation.”