The Delta Air Lines Foundation has pledged an additional $250,000 to the American Red Cross to help the thousands of people whose lives have been upended since Hurricane Harvey devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast.

This grant is in addition to the Delta Air Lines Foundation's $1 million grant to the American Red Cross as an Annual Disaster Giving Program partner. Delta's support of the Red Cross – through its $1.25 million total donation – helps the agency prepare for disaster responses such as Harvey.

Customers can support relief efforts for Harvey victims by donating miles to the Red Cross through SkyWish, the charitable arm of Delta's loyalty program SkyMiles. Delta will match donations up to 10 million miles. Customers can also donate through Delta's Customer Microsite, created in partnership with the Red Cross. Donations will go toward immediate relief needs

Delta's relief efforts reflect its longstanding commitment to community service. Last year, Delta Air Lines announced it would donate 1 percent of net profits a year to charitable organizations across the U.S. and the world.

"Serving people, whether they are our customers or our neighbors in the communities where we live, work and serve, is ingrained in Delta's DNA," said Tad Hutcheson, Managing Director – Community Engagement. "The catastrophic flooding in Texas and surrounding areas has created great need, and the most effective way we can help is by investing in an organization involved is disaster relief year-round."

Delta and the Red Cross are asking customers and employees to donate money rather than in-kind items, due to the difficulty of transporting goods through still-flooded areas. People are also urged to donate blood to the Red Cross, which is calling the flooding the worst in U.S. history. 

Delta serves thousands of customers via its operations in Houston and other area cities, and it employs more than 200 people in or near the Texas coast.

The American Red Cross is Delta's longest-standing non-profit partner, and the partnership has allowed the airline, its customers and employees to help those in need for more than 75 years. Delta is the largest corporate blood donor in the Southeast and No. 2 nationwide. Delta holds 200 blood drives per year with the Red Cross.