FirstEnergy Foundation's "Gifts of the Season" Campaign Surprises Eight Pennsylvania Non-Profit Agencies with $5,000 Donations

AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The FirstEnergy Foundation presented surprise $5,000 "Gifts of the Season" to eight non-profit agencies that are working to make lives better in Pennsylvania communities served by FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utilities Pennsylvania Electric Company (Penelec), Metropolitan Edison (Met-Ed), West Penn Power and Pennsylvania Power Company (Penn Power).

Penelec service area recipients include:

• Healing Patch Children's Grief Program, Hollidaysburg and Ebensburg ? Offers a peer support program designed specifically for children and their families who have suffered the loss of a loved one, such as a parent, sibling, grandparent or close family member.
• Family Services and Children's Aid Society, Pittsburgh ? Provides positive mentors for youth as a program partner of The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern PA, which allows the organization to receive support and assistance on various aspects of program development and implementation.

Met-Ed service area recipients include:

• Berks County Community Foundation (Bridge Fund), Reading ? Offers mini-grants to support critical needs of juveniles or those responsible for their care who are under the jurisdiction of Berks County judges who handle youth or domestic issues.
• Holiday Family Outreach, Inc, Gettysburg ? Provides Christmas toys and food to hundreds of low-income families in Adams County each year.

West Penn Power service area recipients include:

• Colby's Stars Foundation, Waynesburg ? Supports families in southwestern Pennsylvania and neighboring communities who have children suffering from cancer.
• Youth Service Bureau, State College ? Provides prevention programs, family services and residential homes to hundreds of Centre County families each year.

Penn Power service area recipients include:

• Boy Scouts of America Moraine Trails Council, Butler ? Provides a quality scouting program to the youth and families of Butler County to strengthen family relationships, teach healthy living skills, foster self-esteem through personal achievement and develop a sense of personal and community responsibility.
• New Castle Public Library, New Castle ? Funds will support the Children's Program, which offers a weekly craft and educational experience for children ages 3 to 12 during the holidays at the library.

"We're pleased to provide this surprise support, particularly during the holidays when the services these agencies offer are most vital," said Dee Lowery, president of the FirstEnergy Foundation.  "The winners were chosen secretly by FirstEnergy employees, who identified organizations in their local areas that do extraordinary work to strengthen the community.  Our goal was to focus on programs that enhance children's services or provide additional support for organizations facing a critical need during the holiday season."

The FirstEnergy Foundation's "Gifts of the Season" campaign includes 17 individual donations to non-profit organizations across FirstEnergy's six-state service territory. Photos of FirstEnergy's "Gifts of the Season" check presentations are being shared on social media using the hashtag #GiftsofFE.

The FirstEnergy Foundation is funded solely by FirstEnergy Corp. and provides support to non-profit, tax-exempt health and human services agencies; educational organizations; cultural and arts programs and institutions; and civic groups in areas served by FirstEnergy's 10 electric operating companies and in areas where the company conducts business.

Connect with FirstEnergy and its Pennsylvania companies online at www.firstenergycorp.com, on Twitter at @Met_Ed, @Penelec, @Penn_Power, @W_Penn_Power, or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MetEdElectric, www.Facebook.com/PenelecElectric, www.Facebook.com/PennPower, www.Facebook.com/WestPennPower.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.  The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.