LOUISVILLE, Ky. — General Electric Appliances (GEA) launched their yearlong "The Blue Wave" initiative, meant specifically to give back to the Louisville community.
Throughout the next year, the company pledged to lead volunteer projects that help local schools, nonprofits and neighborhoods.
They developed the 'Blue Wave' as a way to support the metro community when it's dealing with important issues of the pandemic and addressing racial equity.
More than 400 GEA employees participated in six volunteer projects to kick of the initiative.
Projects involved beautifying outdoor spaces. Volunteers worked at King Elementary School, Brooklawn Cottages and a highway exit.
Volunteers remodeled the teachers lounge and created an outdoor classroom at Grace James Academy for another job.
They also put their tools to use for two projects. At Volunteers of America Freedom House, they designed and built a new courtyard. Workers also built a new playground at the Volunteers of America Unity House.
There are more service projects scheduled for later this month.
They're partnering with Green Heart Louisville to plant more than 800 trees in south Louisville neighborhoods to improve air quality. Then GE Appliances will host a food drive for immigrant families relocating to Louisville with Dare to Care. Plus, they will assemble laundry kits for 16 nonprofits helping to house people all across the Metro.
“GE Appliances is growing and creating jobs here in Louisville, and it’s really stepping up to take a leadership role in how corporations can partner with us to build a city where there is opportunity for every resident,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said.
According to GEA, as part of "The Blue Wave" yearlong commitment to Louisville, they will invest in more than two dozen local agencies, programs and schools across the city in a variety of ways, including:
- The Louisville Urban League Sports and Learning Complex
- Creating new minority engineering scholarships at the University of Louisville
- Grace James Academy of Excellence
- The Academies of Louisville – the Academy @ Shawnee and Doss High School
- Fund for the Arts
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana
- The Lincoln Foundation
- YMCA Black Achievers
- Creating new HBCU scholarships through the United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
- Evolve 502
- Jefferson Community and Technical College (JCTC)
- Kentucky Science Center
- Louisville Regional Science Fair
- Minority-owned business microgrants through the Jewish Family & Career Services
- Supporting Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) in growing minority-owned suppliers
- Metro United Way
- Family Scholar House
- W.E.B. DuBois Academy
- Junior Achievement
- USA Cares
- Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS)
- YouthBuild
- Central High School
- Ahrens Work Transition Program
- Support for the Louisville Bats, Racing Louisville FC, Louisville City FC, the Kentucky Derby Festival, and WorldFest to help create a vibrant atmosphere for all in downtown Louisville.
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