Stories

At KBR, we take great pride in supporting charitable organizations and initiatives through sponsorship, employee participation and volunteerism, and charitable giving.  Throughout the year, our global team of teams has gone the extra mile to give back to better the communities around them and enact lasting social change.

KBR Supports Mental Health & Wellbeing of Frontline Workers at Houston area Hospital

Caring for COVID-19 patients is no easy task according to caregivers at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. After almost two years of fighting the virus, frontline staff has been expanded significantly with many being asked to work outside normal working hours or locations – all of which have the potential to have major effects on one’s mental health and wellbeing.

At KBR, we believe support for mental health and wellness is a vital part of any workplace, especially among those fighting to end COVID-19. We are proud to have contributed earlier this year to the development and deployment of Memorial Herman’s mental health and resiliency efforts, including the launch of “Well Together,” the hospital’s new employee support program dedicated mitigating stress brought on by the pandemic. The program provides a wide range to staff, including meals for individuals and their families, support with childcare services, creating “Zen dens” at the hospital and other wellness/resilience initiatives.

We extend our sincerest gratitude to all frontline workers and caregivers as they continue working 24/7 to respond to the pandemic and keep our local communities safe.

KBR Employee Assists German Red Cross During Flash Flood Recovery Efforts

KBR’s Lydia Weiland, Sr. Scientist and German Red Cross volunteer, was called to action to begin rehabilitation efforts throughout the region following severe flash flooding across the western half of Germany last July. Among her many amazing efforts, Lydia helped build homes for a relief camp and catering facilities for displaced families and individuals who lost their homes to the flood waters.

A special thank you to Lydia for your commitment to helping restore the local community and support for those in need during hard times. 

U.S. Employees Participate in Global Beach Cleanup Effort

Throughout September, U.S. based teams in Texas, Alabama and Virginia joined the global community in celebrating World Cleanup Day by collecting trash, litter and debris from local beaches and rivers. The initiative was in support of KBR’s One Ocean program, which is focused on reducing plastic and waste in our oceans and waterways.

Since 2018, nearly 50 million volunteers worldwide across 191 countries have come together for this cause. We believe sustainability is fundamental to all of our activities and we thank our people for their efforts in helping create a cleaner, safer and more sustainable planet for the future.

 “Yomping” Around for a Great Cause

Dedicated members of the KBR family swapped the office for the great outdoors in September to take on a challenge even the most avid of walkers would think twice about – all in aid of raising a fantastic amount for charity. After months of dedicated training, day and night, members of KBR’s Government Solutions EMEA team pulled on their hiking boots to tackle a 54-mile walk in the foothills of Caringorm Mountains in Scotland.

The Cateran “Yomp,” a military term for long distance march, is one of the toughest events of its kind. Retired Army Captain Alex Rutter of KBR’s Swindon, UK, office, successfully led the team, stepping over the finish line with colleague Sophie Grady after 21 hours. Colleague Hazel Ratcliffe completed the silver distance of 36 miles with Chris Hawkins on hand at the finish line to cheer his teammates after having to end his race early due to injury.

The team raised close to £3000 ($4,149.30 USD) for the Army Benevolent Fund, a charity that raises vital funds to support soldiers, veterans and their families.

“I’ve been overwhelmed at the generosity of KBR colleagues, as well as family and friends, who have supported us well in this venture,” said Rutter. “I’d like to give kudos to my fellow team members, who committed a huge amount of their own time to train and prepare over the past 18 months and showed tremendous courage and vigor as they dug very, very deep to complete the challenge.”

KBR Headlines Houston Community Events

On September 25, KBR proudly sponsored the St. Jude Walk/Run, a family-friendly 5k event benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their efforts in the fight against childhood cancers and other life-threatening diseases. While the event remained virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, KBR employees were still encouraged to run or walk in their neighborhoods or local parks, as well as donate to TEAM KBR. We thank our employees for their participation and contributions in raising more than $3,000 to St. Jude.

More recently, KBR, with the support of Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BPP), hosted the 14th annual KBR Kids Day on October 23 in Houston. Children and their families gathered at Tony Marron Park for a day of family-fun, activities and entertainment, including craft stations, live music and performances, face painting, rock climbing, a Halloween costume and more. Our volunteers were pleased to welcome attendees to the KBR booth where to provide a coloring station as well kid-friendly giveaways such as fidget poppers and bubbles.

KBR has partnered with BBP over the years, which dedicated to improving local recreation opportunities, flood management and ecosystem restoration for Houston’s historic waterway.

India Colleagues Support Disadvantaged Children Through National Children’s Fund Donation

In the spirit of KBR’s “Team of Teams” ethos, our employees in India combined their efforts to donate more than ₹9,901,019.81 ($132,000 USD) to the National Children’s Fund, an India-based nonprofit dedicated to the upliftment and betterment of children. Since KBR’s donation was made, the Fund has used these contributions to provide scholarships for orphaned children who live in childcare institutions.

“I’d like to thank my colleagues for their continued efforts in making significant contributions to our local community,” said Subas Das, Sr. Director, Operations. “This donation to the National Children’s Fund will go a long way in providing resources and national government support for children in need throughout India.”

U.S. Employees Host Virtual Bingo Benefitting Charity: Water

KBR employees across the U.S. spent an early summer evening playing bingo for charity on Zoom – the second consecutive year our employees competed on the virtual stage to support a meaningful cause. Employees played three fun, exciting games of bingo and held a silent auction in support of Charity: Water, a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries.

As part of KBR’s corporate partnership with the Houston Rockets, we were pleased to welcome employees from the Rockets organization to participate, including a surprise visit from Rockets player Jae’Sean Tate for a rapid-fire Q&A session during the event. A special thank you to the Rockets for providing several game prizes for our employees.

“A special thank you to our employees and to the Houston Rockets for continued support of our charity efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.” said Philip Ivy, KBR Vice President, Global Marketing & Communications. “With the help of their efforts, we’ve closed the door on another successful virtual charity event in raising more than $3,500 for a worthy cause.”

“It is always extremely heartwarming to see the community outreach efforts of our people on full display,” said Stuart Bradie, KBR President and CEO. “Because of your dedication and passion for giving back, we can truly make a lasting impact in not only the solutions we deliver, but the work we do in bettering our communities around the world.”

We applaud all our employees and teams who have contributed time, energy and resources in order to help those in need, embodying the charitable values of our company culture.