Beyond Aircraft Support: Investing in Our Communities and the Future of Business Aviation

• August 14, 2026

Giving back is important to us. Over the first half of 2026, JSSI stood behind incredible organizations focused on building the next generation of aviation talent, creating opportunities for students curious about the industry, and overall strengthening our communities. Here are a few of the organizations we supported, and why each one matters to us.

Investing in Aviation's Next Generation

Here's a number that surprises people: roughly 40% of aircraft maintenance technicians are over 60.

Business aviation has an opportunity to bring in new talent and shape what the next era of the industry looks like. These are some of the best careers most people never think to look for: skilled, well-paid, hands-on, technical work keeping aircraft flying and getting people safely from A to B. Getting young people into those roles and training them alongside seasoned vets is one of the most direct ways to keep this industry strong, and it starts well before any of these students even reach a hangar.

The West Michigan Aviation Academy, a tuition-free public charter school that puts students in the cockpit and the shop, targets the aviation and STEM careers our industry needs to fill. We were glad to support their work this year. The technicians and mechanics coming out of programs like WMAA are the same people who will keep business aircraft safe and airworthy for decades. Backing them is a direct investment in the industry our clients depend on.

Education and Opportunity for Chicago's Youth

And while we need more young talent in the industry, we recognize that not every student starts with the same access to a good education or a clear path forward. The organizations below work to close that gap for students who might not otherwise get the chance, something we feel passionate about supporting.

Our partnership with Cristo Rey Jesuit High School continued throughout the first half of the year, supporting a student through the school's work-study model. Cristo Rey's approach lets students earn part of their education through real jobs with local employers, opening the door to a college-prep experience and hands-on professional skills. We're glad to be one of the employers investing in that future, proudly working with a Cristo Rey student on meaningful projects throughout the year.

This year we also welcomed a group of students from Communities in Schools (CIS) Chicago into our downtown office to explore the range of careers that keep a company like ours running. For some, it was a first look inside a corporate office, and they showed up curious, sharp, and full of great questions.

We also supported two more organizations closing the opportunity gap this year: Camp Out for Kids, which makes sure a kid's zip code doesn't decide whether they get a summer worth remembering, and America Needs You, which walks alongside first-generation college students with mentorship and career coaching that change trajectories.

Strengthening Our Communities

Our commitment to Chicago goes beyond students and classrooms. It extends to the institutions, neighborhoods, and causes that make this a city worth calling home.

We supported Yes We Can Cycling, a team that started in 2020 when a small group of friends began riding to support a teammate's daughter living with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. What began with six riders has grown into a team of 22 and more than $3 million raised for children and families navigating disabilities and complex health needs. This year the team took on SBT GRVL, a 108-mile gravel race through the mountains around Steamboat Springs. Beyond our logo on the jersey, JSSI's VP of Marketing, Isabella Rimton, rode with the team this year.

A few other local organizations we supported included the Illinois Holocaust Museum's Humanitarian Awards Dinner, one of the city's largest fundraising evenings. The Museum honors Holocaust survivors and keeps the lessons of the past alive so we build a more just future, and that's a mission we're proud to stand behind.

We also backed Project H.O.O.D.'s Spring Food Drive and their Rise Lab Partnership, a workforce development initiative on Chicago's South Side. Project H.O.O.D. is rebuilding Woodlawn from the inside out through jobs, mentorship, and violence prevention, and the Rise Lab is exactly the kind of real, local investment that creates opportunity where it's needed most.

Our team joined Lookingglass Theatre's Come As You Aren't Ball, a celebration of costume design that helps fund one of Chicago's most inventive ensembles. Backing the arts is part of how we keep our city's creative heart beating.

And we supported MBK Chicago's March and Opportunity Fair, helping open doors and expand opportunity for young men in our community.

Each of these partnerships reflects something we care about, on the ground and in the air.

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We're just getting started. The second half of the year means deeper partnerships, new ones, and more time spent alongside the people and causes that make our communities and our industry stronger. That's what being part of something bigger looks like to us, and it's a year-round commitment.

This is just a glimpse of the work that matters to us. Learn more about who we are and what we stand for.

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