A Needed Assist To Power Our Communities
At the core of Duke Energy’s culture is giving back. Charitable giving increased in
2014, exceeding $73 million. Community support included funding from the Duke Energy Foundation, company donations,
employee and retiree gifts, and the value of volunteer hours.
The Duke Energy Foundation reviews funding requests at the regional level
and targets investments in areas where we believe the company can have the greatest impact on the well-being
of our communities. Among them:
- Education – STEM and early childhood literacy
- Economic and workforce development
- Environment
- Community impact and cultural enrichment
Our Employees And Retirees Give Generously
Employees and retirees continue to step up. In 2014 they increased individual donations, giving over $6.8 million. As a result of these contributions the Duke Energy Foundation matched $5 million to support their giving, including:
- Matching gifts for employee and retiree donations to qualifying nonprofit organizations increased by 22 percent from 2013
- Matching funds for employee donations as result of Duke Energy’s United Way and community arts campaigns totaled over $2 million
- Volunteer grants to support employee and retiree projects ranging from environmental sweat equity projects to grants supporting employees serving in leadership positions on local boards
Our energy assistance programs help those in need cope with extreme heat and cold.
In 2014:
- In the Midwest, the company contributed about $1.2 million to three programs to assist low-income customers with winter heating bills – HeatShare in Ohio, WinterCare in Kentucky and Helping Hand in Indiana.
- In the Carolinas and Florida, the Duke Energy Foundation contributed nearly $2.5 million to similar programs. Share the Warmth and the Energy Neighbor Fund help low-income families with winter heating bills. Another program, Cooling Assistance, assists handicapped, elderly and low-income customers.
