How Corvias Gave Back to the Community in 2024
The philanthropic arm of the company Corvias, the Corvias Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Warwick, Rhode Island, that is focused on supporting military families in their pursuit of an education and professional skills development. Established by John Picerne, the founder of the Corvias Foundation, in 2006, the Corvias Foundation has invested more than $15 million toward the education and support of military dependents, spouses, and families. The organization provides educational scholarships each year, as well as a number of programs designed to help military families to navigate challenges such as frequent moves and deployments.
To further support the local and military communities, the company Corvias encourages volunteerism among its staff and sponsors a 2:1 employee donation give back program. Employees have contributed more than 35,000 volunteer hours over the years. The company’s history of matched giving is also impressive, with total annual donations often numbering in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The company also makes a point of working with locally owned businesses, particularly those owned by veterans, minorities, and women. Over the years, it has invested more than 70 percent of its spending (over $2.8 billion) in local- and minority-owned businesses.
Community Impact
In 2024, Corvias and the Corvias Foundation had a banner year in terms of community support and giving back. Corvias offers a benefit known as VTIME that enables employees to volunteer with charitable organizations and worthy causes during the workday. Last year, Corvias employees donated approximately 375 hours to a variety of organizations and programs, directly benefiting the local population and supporting the community.
The staff at Corvias also joined together to volunteer as a team, donating a total of 200 additional hours throughout the year, bringing the company’s total volunteer effort to 575 hours in 2024.
Programs that were supported by volunteers include a wildlife rehabilitation project in Texas, agricultural education in Oklahoma, and fundraising to equip facilities in Kansas with AEDs. Unfortunately, the United States has recently seen the lowest rate of volunteerism in 30 years, so efforts like those of the Corvias team can make a big difference.
In addition to their volunteer hours, Corvias employees are encouraged to donate funds to the nonprofit organizations of their choice through an ongoing donation-match program. In 2024, the company and its employees continued their history of generous giving by donating a total of $162,000 to various organizations, including nearly $60,000 worth of donations from employees. As Corvias CEO Chris Wilson noted, “As a solutions provider to our partners, we believe that our responsibility extends beyond business. We are dedicated to supporting the communities where our team members live and work and fostering a positive impact that resonates far and wide. I’m incredibly proud of our team members who are generous with their time and resources.”
In addition to the donation-match program, Corvias provided an additional $36,000 worth of funds and in-kind donations to a variety of organizations located in close proximity to the company’s Rhode Island headquarters and near the military facilities and educational facilities where it operates. These organizations include Operation Homefront (which provides backpacks and school supplies to military families near Fort Liberty); the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans’ Administration Medical Center (which received cold-weather gear from the Purdue University Corvias team); the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Detroit (which also received cold-weather gear, from the Wayne State University Corvias team); and Operation Stand Down Rhode Island and RISE/Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education, two nonprofit organizations providing support to veterans and the children of people who are incarcerated.
Corvias Foundation’s executive director Julie Allen noted, “It’s truly inspiring to be part of a company that genuinely embodies its values and offers many ways for its team members to contribute. It’s gratifying to recognize Corvias’ philanthropic efforts are embedded with a genuine culture of giving.”
One of the Corvias Foundation’s biggest philanthropic programs each year is the educational scholarships that are provided to deserving children of members of the military. The foundation partners with a number of other organizations in providing support, including the National Military Family Association and the Army Scholarship Foundation. The Corvias Foundation also provides $50,000 worth of scholarships to the children of employees of Corvias. Over 450 military children and spouses have received educational support from the foundation over the years.
About Corvias and the Corvias Foundation
Corvias is an infrastructure and energy resiliency solutions company that works with the Department of Defense and various colleges and universities through its proprietary Solutions Through Partnerships® philosophy. The Corvias Foundation is the company’s philanthropic arm, which is focused on the development of education and career- and skills-building opportunities for the local community and the children and spouses of members of the United States Armed Forces. Corvias was founded by John Picerne in 1998 (originally as Picerne Military Housing), with the Corvias Foundation being created about eight years later.