The FirstEnergy Foundation has granted surprise “Gifts of the Season” totaling $200,000 to nonprofits that are working to make our customers’ lives brighter and our communities stronger throughout our service area. . Here is a list of the organizations that received a special donation:

OHIO

• Valor Home, Lorain County ($10,000) – Located within Ohio Edison’s service area, this organization provides transitional housing for male veterans facing homelessness in and around the City of Lorain.
• OutSupport, Medina County ($10,000) – Located within Ohio Edison’s service area, this center provides support and informational sessions to the LGBTQIA+ community and their families in northeast Ohio.
• Youth Challenge, Cuyahoga County ($10,000) – Located within The Illuminating Company’s service area, this Westlake-based organization offers adapted sports and recreations programs to more than 150 young people with physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries and blindness.
• Margie’s Hope, Cuyahoga County ($10,000) – Located within The Illuminating Company’s service area, this center in Lakewood provides resources and services to enrich the lives of transgender, non-binary and gender expansive people in northeast Ohio.
• Bethany House, Lucas County ($10,000) – Located within Toledo Edison’s service area, this domestic violence shelter in Sylvania provides long-term housing for victims of domestic violence across northwest Ohio.
• Monroe Street Neighborhood Center, Lucas County ($10,000) – Located within Toledo Edison’s service area, this organization partners with the greater Toledo community to feed the hungry, strengthen and enrich families, provide physical fitness courses to seniors and bring high-quality housing to community members in financial need.

NEW JERSEY

• Konscious Youth Development & Service, Monmouth County ($10,000) – This minority-owned organization offers holistic wellness programming for school educators, administration, parents and the community.
• New Jersey Veterans Network, Union County ($10,000) – This organization helps veterans and their families enjoy a sustainable quality of life by connecting them with resources and solutions designed to meet the unique set of veterans’ needs.

PENNSYLVANIA

Met-Ed recipients

• Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania ($6,667) – Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania provides services to more than 3,600 children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities, autism, and other social, sensory and developmental delays.
• The Vision Resource Center of Berks County ($6,667) – The center was established by the Reading Lions Club in 1929 to aid the visually impaired community in Berks County. It offers free annual vision screenings to over 2,000 children and assists around 600 blind or visually impaired residents in leading productive and independent lives through monthly social events, information sessions and employment opportunities.
• The York Jewish Community Center ($6,667) – The donation will expand York JCC’s Center for Learn and Play, which caters to children aged 3 to 12 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in York County. The prevalence of neurodiversity has increased, with one in 36 children now identified with autism.

Penelec recipients

• The Abuse and Rape Crisis Center of Bradford County ($6,667) – The Abuse and Rape Crisis Center (ARCC) provides free emergency shelter for abused women and their children and pets in the Towanda area and throughout Bradford County. The center provides clothing for victims who flee abusive situations with nothing and works with other organizations to deliver job training and educational skills.
• The Arc of Crawford County ($6,667) – The Arc promotes and protects the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion in the community throughout their lifetimes. It also offers the OASIS club for adults with intellectual disabilities to explore the community with one another on supervised outings to the movies, Erie Zoo, baseball games, bowling and more.
• The University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown LGBTQIA+ Resource Center ($6,667) – The LGBTQIA+ Resource Center strives towards a safe environment in which all members of the campus community are treated with respect and compassion. Resources are available to raise awareness, provide education and empower students who identify as members or allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary and queer communities.

West Penn Power recipients 

• Always B. Smiling ($10,000) – Always B. Smiling works to create smiles for children, teens and young adults with disabilities and health challenges who live in Allegheny and Washington counties.
• Central Pennsylvania Food Bank MilitaryShare ($10,000) – The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank provides nutritious and nourishing food to veterans and their families through its MilitaryShare program. MilitaryShare distributes food at 28 armories in 27 counties, serving 45,000 people. The gift will help fund MilitaryShare distributions in Franklin County.

WEST VIRGINIA

• On Eagles’ Wings, Marion County ($20,000) – Located within Mon Power’s service area, this organization provides equine assisted activities and therapies to adults and children with physical, cognitive, emotional, and social disabilities.
• People of Worth, Berkeley County ($20,000) – Located within Potomac Edison’s service area, this organization runs a store that offers free groceries, clothing, shoes and household goods to families in need of support.

MARYLAND

• Williamsport, Maryland – The FirstEnergy Foundation has granted a $20,000 “Gift of the Season” to the Dove Center, a domestic violence shelter located in Oakland, Maryland, that provides safety, advocacy and counseling to individuals who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.