September 7, 2022

​The FirstEnergy Foundation is assisting children-focused organizations through our Investing with Purpose (IWP) initiative. Here are a few examples.

Potomac Edison

Wendolyn McKenzie of the Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission happily displays the agency’s $31,600 check. During the pandemic, the commission learned the importance and convenience of providing an online learning option to children and families who were using the agency’s resources. The IWP funds will be used to purchase additional equipment for this online program.

West Penn Power

Youth Service Bureau (YSB) in Bellefonte, Pa., received a $10,000 check. Joleen Hindman, consultant, Regional External Affairs (l.), presented the contribution to YSB representatives Christine Bishop (c.) and Liz Volpe (r). The organization’s youth center provides kids with a safe, supervised environment where they can be with friends, eat a snack or meal, get help with homework, and participate in fun, meaningful activities with YSB staff.

Met-Ed

Shayne Smith, consultant, Regional External Affairs (l.), also presented a $20,000 check to Junior Achievement of South-Central Pennsylvania in York to assist JA Biztown. JA BizTown combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town.

This popular learning experience allows elementary school students to operate banks, manage restaurants, write checks and vote for mayor. Students are able to connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world. The program impacts more than 10,000 fifth- and sixth-grade students a year. The IWP grant will support printed program materials, supplies and consumable materials. Accepting the check is Tom Russell.

Hoffman Homes For Youth in Littlestown, Pa., received a $25,000 check to provide an asynchronous online training platform to replace in-person training. It will provide staff with a wealth of topics and resources for in-depth knowledge development on specific topics such as emergency preparedness, workplace violence, cultural competence and more. Hoffman Homes for Youth is a psychiatric residential program for treating youth ages 6-17 who have serious mental health diagnoses and behavioral issues as the result of profound trauma, abuse, neglect or loss.

At the check presentation, l.-r.: Kayla Knott and Becky VanderGroef, Hoffman; Shayne; and Janet Miller, Hoffman.