JAX is proud of our passionate team of nearly 3,000 people driven to give back and support our local communities. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, we are deeply committed to supporting our communities, other nonprofits, and the next generation of scientists. Our Community Contributions Program supports causes most closely associated with our research and education mission and that contribute significantly to the quality of life for our employees.
Helping our Communities:
- Each year, JAX employees receive 16 hours of paid time off to support volunteer efforts with nonprofit organizations in our communities. Employees use this benefit to help local programs that address food insecurity, organizations that help people experiencing homelessness, museums, state and national parks, child-care centers and religious organizations, and many more. We are proud of our work with organizations like The Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, Red Sox Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, JourneyHome, America’s VetDogs, among many, many others. Internal committees coordinate volunteer opportunities and showcase individual and team efforts.
- The JAXcares campaign, in conjunction with the United Way, offers JAX employees the opportunity to financially support a wide range of local nonprofit organizations in Maine, Connecticut and California. For example:
- JAX employees in Maine help fund grants to local nonprofits including Healthy Acadia, Healthy Peninsula, Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, Health Equity Alliance, Partners for Peace and Eastern Area Agency on Aging, and also share thousands of dollars each year in heating grants. As a lead partner and fiscal sponsor of the Hancock Country Food Drive, we helped raise more than 145,000 meals for families in Hancock County.
- Employee donations in Connecticut provide educational support and college readiness programs for local children, help people learn financial skills and qualify for good-paying jobs, promote access to quality health care and wellness opportunities, and help people going through tough times get the food and housing assistance they need. A donation drive produced over 80 care packages for local veterans in 2022.
- In California, JAX employees help kids excel, strengthen schools and invest in families. The STARS reading tutoring program has helped students gain an average of 1.5 reading levels each year, and KinderCamp, a school readiness program for incoming kindergartners, prepares children who didn’t have the opportunity to attend preschool. We also help support the Digital Equity Program, which provides computers, hotspots and tablets for families without internet access.
- Throughout the years, JAX employees on all campuses have donated thousands of non-perishable goods, warm clothes and toys to local food pantries, shelters for people experiencing homelessness and children’s organizations during the holiday season.
- At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, JAX viewed participation in the unprecedented health crisis as our humanitarian duty. To help, JAX stepped up to build a mouse model colony used for coronavirus research and utilized its clinical laboratory in Connecticut for COVID-19 testing. Learn more about our efforts to combat COVID-19 for our communities and the world.
Serving and Collaborating:
- JAX works closely with organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, the ALS Association and numerous rare disease foundations to engage JAX employees and the local community in fundraising events, educational programs, volunteer opportunities and more.
- JAX leadership and key staff are proud to have served as board members for organizations such as the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, Mount Desert Island Hospital, College of the Atlantic, Maine Maritime Academy, and many others. In 2022, three employees were sworn into State of Maine Board positions following nominations by Maine Governor Janet T. Mills and confirmations by the Maine Senate.
Supporting Future Scientists:
Inspiring the next generation of scientists is central to our mission. JAX Genomic Education programs are offered at all levels, with emphasis on empowering students in our local communities to further their interest in science.
- JAX's Academic Year Internship Program gives local students the opportunity to conduct a part-time research internship at JAX.
- The Teaching the Genome Generation program provides high school teachers the content knowledge, teaching strategies, and resources needed to enhance student learning in genetics, genomics, and personalized medicine.
- JAX scientists work with a wide array of educational institutions and programs to help bring quality science learning opportunities to middle and high school students in underserved communities. For example, in Connecticut, JAX inspired students in data sciences by supported the Hartford Boys & Girls Club ‘Data Detectives’ program and the Connecticut Lt. Governor’s ‘Coding for Good’ challenge.
- Hundreds of high school students, parents and teachers from across Maine and Connecticut come to JAX for annual Open House events featuring research talks and career networking.
- Each year, high schoolers in Maine, Connecticut and California have the chance to receive one of three $10,000 scholarships funded by JAX to support their interest in pursuing a biomedical career.
- JAX is the co-sponsor and co-organizer for the annual Maine State Science Fair, which draws approximately 500 high school students from across the state to compete for a college tuition scholarship. JAX also sponsors the Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair to help students at underserved schools travel to the annual science fair so that they can participate.
- Through an annual partnership with the Connecticut State College and University System (CSCU), hundreds of students and faculty from CSCU member schools attend the Bioscience Careers Forum, an event that emphasizes biomedical workforce development in the State of Connecticut.
Do you know of a nonprofit organization that could benefit from JAX support? Learn more about our Community Contributions Program.