Press Releases
05/05/2020
Avangrid Foundation Announces Grants of Previously Committed $1 Million; AVANGRID Commits Additional $500,000 in Corporate Funds for Coronavirus Response and Recovery Nationwide
GivingTuesday announcement brings total corporate and foundation giving to $2.5 million
ORANGE, Conn. — May 5, 2020 — The Avangrid Foundation, the independent, philanthropic arm of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), today announced the allocation of $1 million in grants to nonprofit partners and community relief funds as part of a broader commitment to provide assistance for coronavirus relief and recovery across the United States. In addition, AVANGRID announced the commitment of an additional $500,000 in corporate funds to support communities impacted by COVID-19. The announcement coincides with GivingTuesday, a global movement to help transform communities around the world and brings the total AVANGRID corporate and foundation COVID-19 related giving to $2.5 million.
“As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, AVANGRID and the Avangrid Foundation are proud to support national and local partners that are helping to assist the communities that we serve,” said James P. Torgerson, President of the Avangrid Foundation and CEO of AVANGRID, Inc. “Our philanthropic efforts are designed to help sustain strong communities and serve the needs of the most vulnerable. The announcement today builds on those efforts as we support partners and community funds on the front lines of the COVID-19 response.”
Today’s $1.5 million announcement is split between nonprofits serving the communities where AVANGRID’s companies operate, and national organizations that also have affiliates and programs in the 24 states where AVANGRID has an operating presence.
National partnerships focus on addressing the U.S.-based emergency response, food insecurity and health and wellness through the following organizations:
- Feeding America - $150,000
- The American Red Cross - $100,000
- Americares - $100,000
- Meals on Wheels America - $100,000
Awards were also made to the following coronavirus relief and recovery funds administered by community foundations and affiliate partners. These funds will support of critical work of nonprofit organizations in providing community-based health and human services, and/or meet basic needs of income-constrained individuals at the state, county and local level.
Maine:
- COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund (Maine Community Foundation)
Massachusetts:
- COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund for Berkshire County (Berkshire United Way & Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation)
New York:
- Rochester Community Crisis Fund (Rochester Area Community Foundation & United Way of Greater Rochester)
- Central New York COVID-19 Community Support Fund, Cayuga County COVID-19 and the Madison County Rural Poverty Fund (Central New York Community Foundation & United Way of Central New York)
- Western NY COVID-19 Community Response Fund (Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo & United Way of Buffalo & Erie County)
- CFSCNY COVID-19 Response Fund (Community Foundation for South Central New York)
Connecticut:
- Connecticut United Ways COVID-19 Response Fund (joint effort of 15 United Way chapters in Connecticut)
- 4-CT Statewide COVID-19 Relief Fund (donor-advised fund of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving)
Oregon:
- COVID-19 Emergency Response – Oregon Community Recovery Fund (Oregon Community Foundation)
AVANGRID and the Foundation are committed to mitigating the impact of the pandemic. All AVANGRID companies have suspended customer shut-offs due to nonpayment, as well as late fees, reconnection fees, interest and security deposits. They recently donated 31,000 protective masks to the COVID-19 response to protect health care workers on the front
lines.
AVANGRID is the parent company of:
- Avangrid Renewables (Portland, Oregon)
- Berkshire Gas (Pittsfield, Massachusetts)
- Central Maine Power (Augusta, Maine)
- Connecticut Natural Gas (East Hartford, Connecticut)
- Maine Natural Gas (Brunswick, Maine)
- New York State Electric and Gas (Binghamton, New York)
- Rochester Gas & Electric (Rochester, New York)
- Southern Connecticut Gas (Orange, Connecticut)
- United Illuminating (Orange, Connecticut)
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About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a leading sustainable energy company transitioning America toward a clean and connected future headquartered in Orange, CT, and has a footprint in 24 states with $40 billion in assets. Our primary businesses are Avangrid Networks, which serves 3.3 million electric and natural gas customers in the Northeast, and Avangrid Renewables, the third-largest renewable energy company in the U.S. with a diverse onshore and offshore renewable energy portfolio. With more than 7,000 employees, AVANGRID has built a culture that blends diversity, equity and inclusion guided by the company’s ESG+F framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This has led to recognition by JUST Capital in 2021 and 2022 as one of America’s best corporate citizens and second in utilities for our commitment to the environment and the communities we serve. AVANGRID has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for three consecutive years by the Ethisphere Institute.
