Picture a 67,000-pound aircraft sitting on the tarmac. Now picture a team of 10 to 12 people, gloves on and ropes in hand, racing the clock to pull that plane 100 meters down the runway.
That’s the challenge behind Hope Air’s Haul for Hope, a fundraiser that brings teams together in support of Canadians who need to travel for medical care.
This fall, members of Direct Travel are joining this challenge in Toronto, pulling for a cause that closely aligns with what our industry does best: helping people get where they need to go.
Getting Canadians to the Care They Need
For many Canadians, a specialist, treatment, or surgery they need may be hundreds of kilometers from home. Hope Air helps close that distance by providing free flights, accommodations, and travel support, allowing patients to focus on their health rather than the cost and logistics of getting there.
Participating teams create their own fundraising pages and rally colleagues, friends, and family behind the cause, with opportunities to extend their impact through employer matching.
Every $1,000 raised through Haul for Hope helps cover the cost of getting one family the care they need, including round-trip flights, accommodations, meals, and ground transportation.
Pulling for Real People
Each Haul for Hope team is paired with a Hope Air patient captain, putting a personal story behind each team’s fundraising efforts. This year’s captains range from a four-year-old to a 92-year-old, who shared that Hope Air’s support helped him avoid significant financial hardship.
Their stories are a reminder of what every pull represents: removing a barrier between a patient and the medical care they need.
Why Direct Travel is Participating
Travel connects people to the places, opportunities, and experiences that matter. In Hope Air’s case, that connection means access to essential medical care.
It’s a mission that resonates strongly with the Direct Travel team, and one that also brings together members of our broader travel community. Porter Airlines, Haul for Hope’s presenting partner in Toronto and a longtime Direct Travel supplier partner, donates hundreds of flights to Hope Air patients each year.
Hope Air is also a Direct Travel client and recently onboarded Avenir, our intelligent travel management platform. Their team uses Avenir to manage travel for patients across Canada who need to reach major cities for medical care, adding another connection between the work our organizations do every day.
Seeing our team, partners, and clients come together in support of the same cause is a meaningful reflection of the connections that make our industry a community. We’re proud to join the effort and look forward to sharing photos and stories from event day.
Learn more about Hope Air’s mission and how you can help make a difference.
