FirstEnergy Foundation’s Largest Hunger-Relief Grant includes Four Berks Organizations

From FirstEnery Foundation

Photo (L to R): Diana Hamer, Director of Case Management for Boyertown Area Multi-Service; Marisela Fuster, Met-Ed Local Engagement Specialist; Tyler Sweigart, Met-Ed Supervisor Regional Operations Line and Substation; Frank Buttaro, Director of Development & Marketing for Boyertown Area Multi-Service; Anita Dombrowski, Interim Executive Director for Boyertown Area Multi-Service; Bruce Jamison, Met-Ed Director of Operations; Rich Monk, Met-Ed Operations Manager

37 Pennsylvania food banks and pantries benefit from $2.5 million six-state program

The FirstEnergy Foundation is supporting local communities as part of its Hunger Action Month initiative – awarding $750,000 in grants to 37 Pennsylvania food banks and pantries. In total, the initiative is granting $2.5 million to 104 hunger relief organizations across New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, marking the Foundation’s largest hunger-relief investment to date.

The grants will provide approximately two million meals to families in communities served by FirstEnergy Pennsylvania, which is known locally as Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power or West Penn Power.

Tackling A Growing Hunger Epidemic

Food insecurity is a growing crisis across the U.S., according to Feeding America and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than 1.7 million people – or nearly 11% of the population – in Pennsylvania face food insecurity due to rising prices, climate-related disruptions and supply chain vulnerabilities.

John Hawkins, FirstEnergy’s President of Pennsylvania: “Hunger doesn’t discriminate — it exists in every community we serve. The FirstEnergy Foundation’s grants to Pennsylvania food banks and pantries aims to strengthen local organizations’ efforts to provide meals to families experiencing food insecurity. In addition, our employees are rolling up their sleeves to support hunger relief organizations. Their dedication reflects what it truly means to serve: showing up for the communities we call home.”

Feeding the Community

Foodbanks receiving grants include

• Altoona/Blair County Food Bank (Altoona, Blair County) – $15,000
• Armstrong County Community Action Agency (Kittanning, Armstrong County) – $15,000
• Boyertown Area Multi-Service (Boyertown, Berks County) – $15,000
• Brookville Area Food Pantry (Brookville, Jefferson County) – $15,000
• Center for Community Action (Everett, Bedford County) – $15,000
• Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (Harrisburg, Dauphin County) – $50,000
• Child Hunger Outreach Partners (Towanda, Bradford County) – $50,000
• Corner Cupboard Food Bank (Waynesboro, Franklin County) – $25,000
• Fayette County Community Action Food Bank (Uniontown, Fayette County) – $20,000
• Feed the Flock (Cheswick, Allegheny County) – $10,000
• Feeding Pennsylvania (Lemoyne, Cumberland County) – $15,000
• Foundation for Reading Area Community College (Reading, Berks County) – $15,000
• FCMC Food Bank (McConnellsburg, Fulton County) – $15,000
• Gleaners Food Bank (Cranberry, Butler County) – $15,000
• Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (Duquesne, Allegheny County) – $50,000
• Helping Harvest (Reading, Berks County) – $20,000
• Indiana County Community Action Program (Indiana, Indiana County) – $20,000
• Knoxville Food Pantry (Knoxville, Tioga County) – $5,000
• Leg Up (York, York County) – $5,000
• Mercer County Food Bank (Sharon, Mercer County) – $15,000
• New Hope Ministries (Dillsburg, York County) – $10,000
• New Journey Community Outreach (Reading, Berks County) – $15,000
• Northern Butler County Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard (Slippery Rock, Butler County) – $5,000
• Project Share of Carlisle (Carlisle, Cumberland County) – $15,000
• River Crossing YMCA (Bethlehem, Northampton County) – $15,000
• SA Jeanette (Jeanette, Westmoreland County) – $25,000
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest PA (Erie, Erie County) – $50,000
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and Northeast PA (Nazareth, Northampton County) – $35,000
• Shippensburg Produce and Outreach (Shippensburg, Cumberland County) – $10,000
• Somerset County Mobile Food Bank (Somerset, Somerset County) – $15,000
• State College Food Bank (State College, Centre County) – $15,000
• The Salvation Army of Huntingdon (Huntingdon, Huntingdon County) – $10,000
• Trehab Community Action Partnership (Montrose, Susquehanna County) – $25,000
• Waynesboro Community and Human Services (Waynesboro, Franklin County) – $15,000
• Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank (Little Meadows, Susquehanna County) – $20,000
• Westmoreland Food Bank (Delmont, Westmoreland County) – $50,000
• York County Food Bank (York, York County) – $15,000

In addition to grant funding, FirstEnergy demonstrates its commitment to community support by empowering employees with dedicated volunteer time-off (VTO) hours. This initiative enables employees to provide hands-on, boots-on-the-ground assistance to local nonprofits. In 2024 alone, FirstEnergy employees contributed more than 26,000 volunteer hours across the company’s service territory – supporting causes such as local food banks, pantries and other vital community organizations.

History of Support

The FirstEnergy Foundation and FirstEnergy employees have been fighting food insecurity for more than two decades. Since 2021, FirstEnergy employees have donated $650,000 directly to organizations focused on fighting hunger and improving nutrition. Nearly $7 million has been raised by employees over the past 23 years through Harvest for Hunger campaigns.

Last year, the FirstEnergy Foundation donated nearly $800,000 to hunger-related initiatives.

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Source: bctv