Who We Are

The FLAG Foundation was established in 1992 when a group of employees from Lakeland Tours, a student travel company, recognized that student travel has a profound impact on the lives of students. The FLAG Foundation was borne of the desire to provide opportunities for every student to participate in a life-changing travel experience.

In 2002 education-minded Phil Wendel, a former Social Studies teacher, made a generous donation that significantly increased the number of students, schools, and nonprofit organizations reached through the FLAG Foundation. To date, FLAG has provided nearly $2 million in scholarships for 7,500 traveling students, along with timely financial assistance to countless education-focused causes, including the rebuilding of Gulf Coast schools in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"FLAG has provided nearly $2 million in scholarships for 7,500 traveling students."