November 9, 2010, Aeroplan will match all miles donated by members for a 24 hour period up to 1.5 million Aeroplan Miles

TORONTO, Oct. 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Schools Without Borders (SWB) and Aeroplan's Beyond Miles program have teamed up to launch their second "Million Mile Campaign" to empower the work of SWB.

In October of 2009 the Million Mile campaign recruited over 40 SWB ambassadors and 150 individual donors to raise over 4 million miles. These miles were used to support young leaders from around the world to share community-building strategies and bring global innovations back home.

The dozens of projects supported by Aeroplan donations have helped young people build their leadership skills, share their stories and launch platforms for change that have the ability to make a profound impact on both grassroots and institutional levels. Last year's donations of miles fuelled by the Million Mile Campaign enabled female leaders from the slums of Nairobi, Kenya to visit community gardening projects in Botswana allowing them to bring skills home to launch a local agricultural project as well as a restaurant and catering company in their community. In East Asia, emerging film-maker, Tiffany Hsiung, continues to document the stories of grandmothers, who were forced into sexual slavery during the Japanese occupation of the Pacific in WWII.

Furthermore, the Million Mile Campaign rewards the top mile-raising ambassador with an opportunity to work alongside one of SWB's international programs. 2009's Winning ambassador, Anna Murray, raised over 200 000 Aeroplan Miles and was awarded the opportunity to visit SWB's, Safe Spaces program in Nairobi, Kenya.
"Being a part of the Million Mile Campaign as an Ambassador made me feel like I was actively participating with an organization that is making a tangible difference in the lives of young women. It became clear - very quickly - that SWB offers distinctly sustainable community led programming," said Anna Murray, 2009's Top Million Mile Campaign Ambassador.

This year the campaign will run from October 26^th to November 9^th, 2010 and culminate at SWB's fall fundraiser and community celebration called "Recess."  On November 9^th, 2010, Aeroplan will match all miles donated by members for a 24 hour period up to 1.5 million miles.

"We are thrilled to partner with an incredible company like Aeroplan that encourages their members to donate Aeroplan Miles to help make a positive impact," says Chris Kang, Executive Director, Schools Without Borders.  "We're proud to partner with our Toronto community to support youth leaders as they positively impact communities around the world."

Want to become an ambassador?

An SWB Ambassador is an individual who represents SWB and helps this campaign take flight! An ambassador is responsible for taking the Million Mile Campaign to their company, friends, family and community to encourage others to donate their miles. The ambassador that raises the most miles will be awarded a trip to one of SWB's international programs, and like Anna, to experience the world through a different lens.

To sign up to become an ambassador please visit: www.swb.ca/mmc.

About Schools Without Borders (SWB)
SWB is an award winning Canadian charity committed to training youth around the world to step up and take leadership roles in communities plagued by violence, poverty and corruption.  Their mission is to support young people to create platforms for change and build the communities they want to live in.  Whether it's through photojournalism workshops in Brazil, sexual health training for young women in Kenya, basketball programs in Swaziland, or organizational mentorship in Canada, SWB transforms hands-on experiences and community projects into life-long learning experiences.  SWB operates on a global platform with 30 staff and volunteers across 11 countries.  Funding is received from strategic partners including the Canadian International Development Agency, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Laidlaw Foundation, Arts Council of Toronto, Ontario and Canada, and Aeroplan Beyond Miles Program.

About Aeroplan Beyond Miles
The Beyond Miles program invites Aeroplan members to join us in supporting nine Canadian charitable organizations through the donation of Aeroplan Miles including: Athletes for Africa, Earth Day Canada, Engineers Without Borders-Canada, Médecins Sans Frontières-Canada, Schools Without Borders, The Stephen Lewis Foundation, Veterinarians Without Borders-Canada and War Child Canada.  In addition to supporting these organizations, Beyond Miles also supports Air Canada's Kids' Horizons, a program dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of Canadian children and youth and their families.  In 2009, more than 50 million miles were donated to Beyond Miles.  For more information about Beyond Miles, please visit www.aeroplan.com/donate.

To learn more about the campaign please go to: www.swb.ca/mmc