Since its founding in 1951, the Electric Boat Employees’ Community Services Association (EBECSA) has consistently worked to ensure those in our surrounding communities are taken care of. Through monetary donations from EB employees and volunteering efforts, the EBECSA supports a variety of agencies that help bring the community together. EB employees have been working together with the EBECSA for 70 years this year, and in doing so have made giving back to the community an important part of Electric Boat’s culture.
Making a donation to the EBECSA is done through payroll deduction and is completely voluntary. Most employees start by giving a small amount of money they are comfortable with, as pledges can be increased over time if desired. A large portion of funds from employee donations go to the United Way, and that’s because they play a vital role in strengthening the community and supporting a network of vital health and human services. With over 70 partner programs, the United Way is a trusted partner that consistently works to ensure the wellbeing of others.
Considering EB’s strong partnership with the United Way, each year the EBECSA holds an annual EBECSA/United Way Campaign to raise money for this important organization and to keep the programs they support alive and thriving. Last year’s 2020 campaign was arguably more important than ever, as COVID wreaked havoc on us all. With unemployment on the rise and an increase in first-time asks for assistance from those in our community, the need for help was higher than it’s been in the last decade. In fact, United Way agencies mentioned that they received more requests than ever before from people in need.
With this in mind, the EBECSA had a goal to increase the amount of funds raised during their 2020 campaign. The men and women of Electric Boat helped make this goal a reality.
The EBECSA wrapped up their annual campaign on October 31, 2020. Over the course of the 2020 campaign, EB employees pledged a total of $2,520,184.68, an increase of $74,417.72 from 2019. $1,775,000 of these funds went to the United Way, an increase of $125,000 from last year, and the remainder of the collected donations, increased by $15,400 over last year, went to other non-profit organizations. Additionally, General Dynamics Electric Boat made a corporate donation to the United Way totaling $350,000.
To close the 2020 campaign, the EBECSA invited eligible employees to take part in a raffle for a chance to win a free parking spot or $100 American Express gift card. While a photo is typically taken of the raffle winners claiming their prizes, this was skipped this time around due to COVID. You can find a full list of the raffle winners here. Congratulations to the winners!
In addition to the raffle, the EBECSA wrapped up their annual campaign with a food collection at local Stop & Shops. View the attached flyer to see how many pounds of food was collected, as well as some photos from the event.
Thank you to all Electric Boat employees who supported the EBECSA and United Way during our 2020 campaign. While 2020 was a difficult year for all, EB employees continued to pledge money towards those in desperate need, allowing Electric Boat to continue being the helping hand and trusted partner our community needs. Your generosity is helping to change the lives of those in our community, and we look forward to another successful campaign in 2021.
– Electric Boat Employees’ Community Services Association (EBECSA)
