November 1, 2019

Every autumn, children in FirstEnergy’s service territory get an extra boost of support. Whether it’s backpacks filled with school supplies or laptops for computer education, the FirstEnergy Foundation and our employees generously give back to help children in need.

Potomac Edison employees, in partnership with our MOSaic Employee Business Resource Group, held a toiletry drive for Children in Need, Inc. The agency provides daily essentials to more than 3,100 children in Washington County, Md.

With a sampling of the donated items, l.-r.: Heather Stumbaugh, distribution technician I; Samantha Sonner, administrative assistant; Barb Elkins, advanced administrative assistant; Jim Painter, director, Operations Support; Jasan Hileman, manager, Regional Work Management; Charity Emert, manager, Meter Reading; Christina Dobson, advanced administrative assistant; Debbie Hiser, senior administrative assistant; and Nikki Spiker, manager, Human Resources.

Our Elyria Service Center and Line Shop employees, along with Ohio Edison Line Shop and Substation employees, volunteered for the United Way of Greater Lorain County’s Fill the Bus campaign. Our volunteers assisted with collecting and loading more than 18,000 items onto two trucks, provided by Ohio Edison, and delivering them to schools through­out Lorain County. Bret Zak, manager, Operations Services, Elyria Line Shop, was instrumental in collecting the donations and organizing the use of the Ohio Edison vehicles.

Here are a few Fill the Bus students with their new school supplies. Also in the photo, l.-r., are: Nick Katsaros, consultant, Regional External Affairs; Ryan Aroney, United Way of Greater Lorain County; and Stephanie Alexander-Johnson and Paul Williams, Lorain City Schools.

FirstEnergy donated 20 laptops to Jacob’s Ladder in Monmouth County, N.J. The organization’s mission is to provide area youth with opportuni­ties to develop leadership skills and improve self-perseverance, as well as having fun while learning life skills.

At the laptop donation, back row, l.-r.: Ron Crocker, consultant, Regional External Affairs; Nichelle Douglas, Twana Richardson, Ebone Lawrence-Smith, Jacob’s Ladder; Frank Luna, consultant, Regional External Affairs; and John Pallone, mayor, Long Branch, along with future Jacob’s Ladder leaders.

Altoona employees supported the Blair County United Way Backpack Program by donating school supplies for local students. The backpacks were filled with the collected items and distributed for donation.

Our volunteers, l.-r.: Ryan Graham, Forestry specialist; Beverly Green, consultant, Regional External Affairs; Dan Douylliez, manager, Substation Services; and Janet Hoover, Customer Account specialist.

Potomac Edison employees worked with Maryland State Del. Mike McKay to donate 30 gently used laptops to Calvary Christian Academy in Cresaptown, Md. In the photo, l.-r.: Jim Crowder; Ben Corbin, senior, Calvary Christian Academy; Dan Thompson, administrator, Calvary Christian Academy; and McKay.

Forty-three Akron employees distributed filled backpacks for the United Way of Summit County’s Stuff the Bus campaign, which yielded enough school supplies and monetary donations for 924 backpacks for three Akron Public Schools: Rimer Elementary, Helen Arnold Community Learning Center and Windmere Community Learning Center. Our participation was coordinated by Rachel Greer, associate Workforce Development representative; Lauren Graves, business analyst; Kirsten Dransfield, analyst IV; and Crystal Miller, associate business analyst. Also providing assistance were Lorna Wisham, vice president, Corporate Affairs & Community Involvement; and Torey Tolson, analyst III; along with Richard Tipton, building mechanic A, and Von Jones (contractor) of Facilities.

Rimer volunteers

Helen Arnold volunteers

Windmere volunteers

Monarch’s Way in Chambersburg, Pa., received 12 gently used laptops from West Penn Power. State Rep. Paul Schemel worked with Jim Crowder on coordinating the donation. Monarch’s Way is a private Christian school based in a loving, family environment dedicated to helping at-risk girls break free from life-controlling behaviors and circumstances.

L.-r.: Monarch Way’s Nikki Martin and Carissa Martin with Jim.