‘Crucial support’ for SSAFA from Boeing continues in 2025

26 February 2025

Since 2015, Boeing has supported SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity with charitable donations, and its support is as crucial as ever. 
 
Boeing’s grant to SSAFA for its work through 2025 will be split between the Boeing Crisis Fund and SSAFA’s Transitional Mentoring Programme. 
 
The Boeing Crisis Fund – awards are managed by SSAFA’s Grants Team – provides support towards urgent cases by disbursing funds quickly, to make crucial, often life changing interventions. 
 
One of those is former Welsh Guard Gareth and his family, whose lives were altered after he suffered a life-changing heart attack, undergoing a triple heart bypass where he fought to survive.
 
Gareth’s life was turned upside-down even further after being diagnosed with cancer. Losing his independence and grappling with isolation, and with wife Katherine struggling to care for their five children, the family were at breaking point when they turned to SSAFA for help.
 
SSAFA caseworker Richard, one of our 2,500 trained volunteers, was on hand to help. He quickly became Gareth’s lifeline; he made him see how brave it was to ask for help. Richard knew the family couldn’t fight on alone and sought funding to provide equipment to open up Gareth’s world again.
 
Boeing also financially supports SSAFA’s Transitional Mentoring Programme. This tailored service pairs a service leaver with a dedicated, trained volunteer mentor for up to one year, helping with the transition to settle into civilian life. 
 
Maria Laine, Boeing President of UK, Ireland & the Nordics, noted: “Our commitment to supporting the veteran community and their families is unwavering at Boeing, where hundreds of our colleagues are former Forces or are still serving in the Reserves. 
 
“SSAFA’s mission resonates with so many of our employees who share a service connection and often go on to raise funds to support their mission.
 
“We were delighted to learn that Boeing’s support has contributed towards training over 100 SSAFA mentors and support more than 1,500 service leavers, demonstrating the long-term value and impact of our partnership.”
 
Commenting on the award, Lt Gen Sir Andrew Gregory, the outgoing Controller of SSAFA, said: “On behalf of the beneficiaries, volunteers, and staff of SSAFA, I am extremely grateful to Boeing for its very generous contribution to our work in 2025.
 
“Boeing’s continuing support is driving positive, meaningful, and lasting change that benefits every member of the military family in their time of need.
 
“Put simply, without the support of companies like Boeing the impact and reach of our work – which improves and changes lives – would be hampered, and so we greatly appreciate Boeing’s continued commitment to SSAFA and those we support.”