The Bechtel Group Foundation will donate $3 million to communities across the world coping with the coronavirus pandemic, in partnership with the crowdfunding nonprofit GlobalGiving. The newly established Bechtel COVID-19 Relief Fund will support local nonprofit organizations that provide vital services to people in areas where Bechtel Corporation maintains offices and project sites.
"This gift is the largest disaster response in the Bechtel Group Foundation's 66-year history," said Bechtel Chairman and CEO Brendan Bechtel. "These gifts will help local nonprofit organizations respond to urgent needs such as food, emergency financial assistance, and physical and mental health services."
The Bechtel Group Foundation selected GlobalGiving as its partner because of the organization’s innovative approach to connecting philanthropic organizations with humanitarian needs around the world. GlobalGiving’s network will enable the Bechtel COVID-19 Relief Fund to immediately activate in support of suffering communities.
GlobalGiving will distribute more than $2 million from the Bechtel COVID-19 Relief Fund to local charitable organizations in Australia, Canada, Chile, Egypt, India, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. (specifically, in the northeast, Southern California, and the Gulf Coast).
The Bechtel Group Foundation will award $750,000 in direct grants from the Bechtel COVID-19 Relief Fund to charitable organizations in smaller U.S. communities that are the home to large Bechtel projects, such as:
- Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in Kentucky
- Pennsylvania Chemicals north of Pittsburgh
- Sabine Pass Liquefaction Project in Louisiana
- Port Arthur LNG Project in Texas
- South Field Energy in Ohio
- Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in Georgia
- Uranium Processing Facility in Tennessee
- Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant in Washington state
In addition, the Bechtel COVID-19 Relief Fund will support charitable organizations in the following communities: Glendale, Ariz., Pueblo, Colo., Dover Plains, New York, Wellsville, Ohio, Tullahoma, Tenn., and Houston, Texas.
About GlobalGiving:
GlobalGiving is the first and largest crowdfunding community connecting nonprofits, companies, and donors around the world. Across 170 countries GlobalGiving transforms giving to accelerate community-led change, making it possible for local organizations to access the tools, training, and support they need to become more effective.
In times of disaster, GlobalGiving relies on its global network of trusted partners to provide real-time updates and alerts from the disaster zone. GlobalGiving’s trust-based grantmaking approach enables local leaders to make the best decisions for their communities. They engage local businesses and government officials in decision-making processes, integrate cultural sensitivities, and involve the appropriate stakeholders as part of a holistic recovery. By prioritizing local leaders and securing community investment, GlobalGiving partners are equipped to respond more efficiently and effectively, stimulate the economy, and align with local values.
