Give a Mile, founded by Kevin Crowe, is a registered charity in Canada and the USA. Kevin was inspired by his good friend Ryan who passed away from brain cancer. After Ryan’s death, Kevin wanted to pay it forward, to share the power of allowing people to reunite one last time, giving them time for conversation and a last hug. This is why he created Flights of Compassion. All flights are funded through travel loyalty miles that are donated by individuals and organizations.
Flights of compassion allow families to reunite one last time, encourage closure and assist in the grieving process. With the help of a team of volunteers, families are able to have final memories together.
Patrick is an example of the impact of this program. Patrick, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, came to Canada 12 years ago. When he became ill, he had one main wish, which was to go back home to Rwanda to see his family and homeland one final time.
In his application to Give a Mile, his Social Worker wrote: “Patrick lost his father and 3 siblings during the genocide, and his mother last year. His mother’s sickness and death, which he was able to witness, were devastating for him. Soon after his return to Canada, Patrick was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout his illness he has been optimistic, gracious and grateful. He wants and needs to be home in Rwanda at this point in his illness.”
Patrick was so grateful to hear his flight was granted, that he shared this video. He’ll be home for a month before coming back to his 8-year-old son.
Give a Mile has used over 35 million donated miles so far and has given almost one thousand people from 151 countries the chance to reconnect with a loved one.
It is hard to put into words the impact of the gift of a flight. Janet and her family’s story is another example of that impact. She shared in the video that her 4-year-old granddaughter's cancer was terminal.
Give A Mile also brought Georgia home from Japan so she could say goodbye to her dad as her final memory with him was in the airport hugging goodbye. Before she left for Japan her dad said it would be the last time she’d see him, long before his diagnosis.
Joshua is another flight recipient who was reunited with his dad through the Give a Mile program. His dad’s final wish was to have his oldest son by his side. Joshua was flown from Toronto, ON to Calgary, AB. After his visit, Joshua wrote: “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am very grateful for this opportunity. I appreciate that there are programs like this.”
Give a Mile reunited Andrea and her mother after Andrea’s Mother was taken off life support and the family wanted to be by her side. She was flown from Houston, TX to Seattle, WA. Andrea wrote: “I feel so blessed and without words right now. I have a year and 7 months left to obtain my BSN and hope that with that I can touch people as you have touched my Mother and I.”
When a family is unable to afford a flight, they can request a flight through our online application. Healthcare providers can request flights on their patient’s behalf as well. Our Flight Coordinator goes through every application to ensure it meets the criteria. Once the criteria have been met and the flight approved, our Flight Scheduler takes care of scheduling the flights for the recipient. If you or someone you know could benefit from a flight of compassion, please submit an application today. We fly families to and from Canada and the USA from within or from around the world.
If you’re looking to volunteer, Give a Mile would love to hear from you. You can also be a flight hero. A flight hero is a person, team, or organization that takes on raising miles for a flight. Flight hero coaches provide mentorship and tools to network and obtain donations to make this wonderful gift happen.
Give a Mile helps reunite families so no one dies alone.
For more information, to contact Give a Mile, or to apply for a flight: Contact Us.