CHICAGO, IL (MPG) - Boeing announced $700,000 in grants from the Boeing Charitable Trust to help local communities with the ongoing humanitarian and environmental crisis caused by wildfires burning along the West Coast of the United States. Boeing is providing $500,000 to the American Red Cross to support its fire relief efforts in Washington, Oregon and California.

"On behalf of Boeing employees across the globe, we extend our heartfelt sympathies to all those impacted by the West Coast wildfires," said Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun. "As these wildfires have ravaged the Western United States, the American Red Cross has stepped up to answer the call at this critical moment of need, and we are happy to support them in their critical work. Through our partnership with the Red Cross, we will help bring recovery and relief efforts to those who have been displaced – and whose lives have been impacted – by these destructive fires."

Additionally, Boeing is donating $200,000 to provide food assistance in these states where significant numbers of the company's employees live and work. $100,000 is being given to Northwest Harvest in Washington, and $50,000 apiece to the Oregon Food Bank and Redwood Empire Food Bank in California.

"Thousands of our families, friends and neighbors have been displaced around the west," said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and the company's senior executive in the region. "We are committed to helping them through this exceptionally challenging time."

“Three years ago, we had to shut down our facility for three days due to the Creek Fire. The fire itself came within 100 yards of the facility. Many of our employees were displaced for days. In repeated instances over the past several years we have experienced devastating wildfires negatively impacting our communities. We need and must do whatever we can to help. This is our community, California is our home,” Said Boeing Executive Tony Mueller, who leads the company’s Spectrolab subsidiary in Sylmar, CA.

Boeing's grant to the Red Cross will provide shelter, food and essentials for those who have been displaced from their homes due to the wildfires. These funds will also assist in the ongoing evacuation and aid delivery response in impacted communities.

"The Red Cross is working around the clock to help hundreds of thousands of people forced to evacuate from their homes due to the California, Oregon and Washington wildfires. We have taken extra safety precautions due to the pandemic to ensure people feel safe as we support the communities impacted by the wildfires," said Don Herring, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. "We are extremely grateful for Boeing's support, which allows us to provide shelter, food and comfort to help people in need."

Consistent with Boeing employee gift match programs, the company will also match qualifying employee contributions made to eligible nonprofits for wildfire relief efforts.