Stories

Giving back to our communities has always been a big part of KBR’s culture, and the start of 2023  has been a case in point. Our team of teams has been hard at work around the world delivering for our customers but has still taken the time to get involved and volunteer . Here are some of the ways the KBR team has been supporting their local communities.  

Talent Development service day at the Houston Food Bank 

The KBR Talent Development Center of Excellence (COE) held a team service day at the Houston Food Bank supporting the Teachers Aid program. When children do not have the proper tools in school, many are challenged in achieving academic success. Teachers Aid provides school supplies to teachers in Title 1 schools, which support children from lower-income families.  

The Talent Development team assisted in unloading and organizing pallets of donated school supplies then formed an assembly line to pack boxes of supplies that will go to teachers who otherwise may not have had the tools necessary for their students’ success. Importantly, it was an opportunity for the team to be servant leaders and to learn about our community and each other.  

“The Talent team wanted to give back to our community by investing our energy in volunteering, and we chose the Houston Food Bank Teachers Aid program because it directly supports teachers in the classrooms — and we are all about learning!” said Bob Newhouse, vice president of Talent Development. “The day was hard work but also a lot of fun. We learned that many Houston-area teachers struggle due to lack of sufficient classroom materials. The Teachers Aid program fills a critical gap for hundreds of classrooms in the area.” 

Local Chennai School Give-back 

KBR people organized a community service project at a local school in Chennai, where they enthusiastically showed off their artistic skills by painting a fence wall with mural art of alphabet trees, flying wings, the days of the week, and more. 

During the project, our people also interacted with students in grades 7 and 8, who cheerfully engaged in conversations. The team introduced students to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts and spoke about KBR, giving the students a glimpse of the work, we do. Students were also encouraged to share their dreams and aspirations. The children passionately shared range of career interests, from doctors to police officers to engineers. 

At the end of the day, our employees’ paintings were evaluated by the students, and to the KBR team’s delight, they passed with flying colors. Everyone felt a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in having brightened up the school’s environment and in engaging with the community in a meaningful way. 

This project highlighted the power of community service and the value it brings to everyone involved. 

Girls Get Active Day 

This month KBR team members in Australia took part in Tennis ACT’s Canberra Girls Get Active Day. Organized through the local ASPIRE chapter, this was a free community event aimed at inspiring, energizing and empowering young women to be more active.  

More than 1,100 people attended, and the team took the opportunity to speak to children and parents about the many career opportunities at KBR. To get the conversation flowing, the team challenged young people to answer the question, “What do you aspire to be?” with the chance to win one of two Lego sets!  

ASPIRE is committed to the development of women and the promotion of gender diversity. So, this event — which promoted the value of the advancement of young girls and encouraged them to share their aspirations — perfectly aligned with ASPIRE’s mission.   

IMPACT Hosted Blood Drive 

On March 8, the Houston IMPACT chapter hosted a blood drive at KBR Tower supporting the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. 

KBR has continued its partnership with Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center due to its commitment to the community. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is the only blood provider serving the Houston area 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s also one of the largest community blood centers in the United States, serving 26 counties across the Texas Gulf Coast, Brazos Valley and East Texas. The center also serves more than 170 hospitals and healthcare institutions. 

In total, 18 donors provided 26 much-needed units of blood. The effort was a great way for people to give back during a busy workday. Employees in the tower could simply make their way down to the blood drive, and after a 30-minute appointment could be back to their normal schedule. 

KBR is committed to paying it forward in our communities throughout 2023 and is excited for the many upcoming volunteer events we have in store.