Feeding families, saving lives; Boeing’s big impact

Every day, Pacific Northwest hospitals need 1,000 blood donors to maintain a safe supply. Meanwhile, nearly 900,000 Washingtonians face food insecurity. Boeing employees are stepping in to help fill the need.

The drive: Boeing’s annual Food and Essentials Drive, a long-running effort to fight hunger and support improved health, mobilized employees across the state this March.

One employee’s story: Trisha Kozu, a senior attorney at Boeing, started donating blood at 16. Her motivation: a personal connection.

“I first decided to donate blood when my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Kozu shared. “She needed several blood transfusions but had one of the rarest blood types. I have a universal donor blood type, so that is what got me started.”

She’s been donating ever since, including during a recent onsite Boeing blood drive.

The reach: During the 2025 drive, Boeing partnered with Bloodworks Northwest to host 9 blood drives, registering 272 employee donors—75 of them first-timers.

Kozu notes it’s just 20 minutes that could save a life, and you can even do it at work.

“Donating blood is a simple act that has profound impacts. In the 20 minutes it takes to donate blood, you can help save lives, support emergencies caused by disasters, help rare blood type recipients, and support community health,” Kozu explained. “Knowing the contribution can truly save lives is why I continue to show up for others in need.”

Food bank partners: The drive went beyond blood donations. Employees also contributed to four regional food bank partners, including Northwest Harvest.

“Hunger affects 1 in 8 people in Washington. The Boeing Food and Essentials Drive is a great example of how the community comes together to make a difference,” said Nicolas Van Deren with Northwest Harvest. “This drive helps us stock the shelves at our zero-barrier community markets in Seattle and Yakima with fresh foods our shoppers want and love. We’re also able to distribute resources to our partner network of over 350 food programs located in every county of Washington.”

The Moses Lake site also joined the effort, supporting Community Services of Moses Lake, a nonprofit helping local families with food and other essential resources.

By the numbers:

• Total raised for food banks: $69,877.16
• Partners supported: Northwest Harvest, Food Lifeline, Emergency Food Network, Community Services of Moses Lake
• Registered Boeing blood donors: 272
• First-time donors: 75