A JBLM family enjoys an exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma.

Image courtesy Children’s Museum of Tacoma

In observance of Giving Tuesday, Boeing has announced a 2019 charitable grants package totaling more than $48 million. The grants will support 404 charitable organizations in 50 countries, funding programs through 2020 and beyond. This latest investment puts Boeing on track to surpass $230 million in total corporate giving in 2019. This sum includes charitable giving, company business contributions, employee giving and employee gift match.

Boeing corporate charitable investments are amplified by employee giving. In 2019, Boeing employees will donate nearly $40 million to charitable causes – bringing total employee giving to more than $350 million over the last ten years.

“Boeing’s people bring to life our values and our enduring commitment to supporting the communities where we live and work,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing president and CEO. “Through their close collaboration, our teams and community partners are working to inspire the next generation of aerospace innovators, support our veterans and create lasting change in the communities we call home.”

The charitable grants package includes $8 million for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and workforce development programs aimed at building a robust talent pipeline of civil aviation pilots and maintenance technicians. Boeing forecasts demand for 804,000 new civil aviation pilots and 769,000 new maintenance technicians to fly and maintain the world’s fleet over the next 20 years.

In Washington state, aviation-related grants that will address the Technician skills gap include:

• Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council (PacMtn) Veterans to Aerospace Manufacturing ($350,000): PacMtn will provide employment support to transitioning military and military spouses to assist them in finding employment in the aerospace and manufacturing sectors. A key component of the grant is a partnership with South Seattle College’s Airframe and Power Plant Master Class, which will produce graduates who are A/P mechanics and have FAA approved licenses.
• Port Jobs Aviation Maintenance Technician Pathway ($80,000): Port Jobs will create an Aviation Maintenance Technician pathway in close coordination with the Port of Seattle, the Workforce Development Council, airline partners, and local colleges. The pathway will reach young adults in the 18 to 29 year old age bracket, especially women and people of color, in order to increase Aviation Maintenance Technology and A/P certifications. 

Also included in the package is a previously announced $10 million investment for veterans' recovery and rehabilitation programs and workforce transition services. This includes $2 million in Washington state to support programs serving veterans and military families, including Children’s Museum of Tacoma Play is on Base at JBLM, Forefront Suicide Prevention, Valley Cities Military Family Clinic at JBLM, Institute for Veterans and Military Families’ Onward to Opportunity program, and Operation: GoodJobs at Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region.

Anchored by local and regional employee engagement activities, Boeing corporate giving is focused on increasing access to globally competitive STEM learning in underserved and underrepresented communities, improving technical workforce skills and supporting military families and veterans. Boeing investments also address unique local challenges critical to communities where the company operates.

By Rachel Ayers and Jason Capeheart

Two Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) graduates, now employees at Boeing, perform a quality check on a production airplane. Some of Boeing’s newly announced grants will create more pathways to AMT careers in the aerospace sector.

Boeing photo