GE Aerospace Foundation Pledges $500,000 to Support Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene

Funds will support American Red Cross and Airlink to aid in disaster response efforts

October 2, 2024, Cincinnati, OH - The GE Aerospace Foundation today announced a donation of $500,000 to support disaster response efforts to help residents and communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The contribution will be divided evenly between the disaster logistics nonprofit Airlink and the American Red Cross. In addition to the GE Aerospace Foundation donation, employees can maximize their individual impact by contributing to relief efforts utilizing the Foundation's Matching Gifts program.

"The GE Aerospace Foundation is committed to lifting people up in communities where we live and work, and this week, that includes many of our coworkers, and their families, friends and neighbors, who were caught in Hurricane Helene's path," GE Aerospace Foundation President Meghan Thurlow said. "In collaboration with the American Red Cross and Airlink, we are proud to support much-needed relief to help residents recover and rebuild their communities."

The Foundation's donation to the American Red Cross will support efforts to activate disaster workers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, in addition to helping establish emergency shelters in Florida and Georgia.

The Foundation's $250,000 contribution to Airlink comes from a $1 million commitment the GE Aerospace Foundation announced earlier this year in recognition of the unique role the aviation industry plays in providing immediate disaster relief to communities in need. It will be used to support urgently needed responders in hard-hit areas. To date, Airlink has facilitated free flights for over 100 trained personnel on behalf of 14 nonprofit partners to multiple impacted states. This includes emergency responders, healthcare professionals, logisticians, and additional program staff providing food items and shelter support. Airlink is committed to sustaining a long-term response for as long as community support is needed.

GE Aerospace employees who make eligible donations can register for a match with the GE Aerospace Foundation's Matching Gifts Program, which supports employees' personal philanthropy and charitable giving by providing a 1:1 match. The GE Foundation created the concept of a corporate matching gift program in 1954 and has supported over $1.5 billion in charitable giving since then.

The GE Aerospace Foundation launched in May 2024, announcing $22 million in new funds to expand the Next Engineers program, support workforce development programs, and bolster disaster relief and humanitarian aid. The Foundation's efforts build upon the more than 100-year legacy of the GE Foundation.

About the GE Aerospace Foundation
The GE Aerospace Foundation, an independent charitable organization funded by GE Aerospace, complements the company's purpose to "lift people up" in communities where employees live and work around the world. The Foundation's philanthropic strategy and programs focus on engineering education, workforce development, and disaster relief. We also support GE Aerospace employees through programs such as Matching Gifts and STAR Awards. When GE Aerospace launched as an independent company in 2024, the GE Foundation was relaunched as the GE Aerospace Foundation, commencing a new chapter that builds on the successful, 100+ year legacy of the previous GE Foundation. Learn more at www.geaerospace.com/company/philanthropy.