Corporate Giving A helping hand for people in need
Besides providing grants to nonprofit organizations, the Consumers Energy Foundation supports nonprofit groups and community activities through our Corporate Giving program.
When considering corporate contributions, we make sure the benefits match our commitment to improving quality of life, well being and education for Michigan’s residents.
Our corporate giving touches people of all ages. Last year, we recognized the importance of seniors with support for the Senior Olympics and Senior Citizen of the Year Award. We helped honor and recognize citizens for their volunteer service to Michigan through the Governor’s Community Service Awards. And we supported the Michigan FFA to help develop young adult leaders and students studying agriculture and natural sciences.
United Way
The spirit of giving emerges when our employees open their hearts each fall during United Way campaigns. This year, our employees and the corporation pledged more than $1.8 million to 55 local United Ways serving communities in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
Employees build momentum for fund-raising campaigns at each of our facilities by getting out the word that United Way addresses the needs of people in our communities. In addition, they often help launch local campaigns, take leadership roles in community fund-raising campaigns and participate in employee-volunteer events such as the Day of Caring.
Employees and retirees also earn Volunteer Investment Program grants for giving time to their local United Way and partner organizations.
PeopleCare
Consumers Energy employees and The Salvation Army created the PeopleCare program to help families, seniors and neighbors with emergency needs. Donations made by customers and employees to PeopleCare help the less fortunate take care of emergency needs, such as groceries, shoes for a growing child, prescriptions for the sick and rent or a house payment.
In 2009, Consumers Energy customers and employees contributed more than $850,000 to PeopleCare, which helped provide emergency aid to over 4,800 households across the state. The Salvation Army determines eligibility for energy bill credits and other help and distributes the aid.
Consumers Energy will contribute $1.5 million in energy bill credits in 2010 to keep electricity on and natural gas flowing for people in need.
Since the PeopleCare program began in 1983, customers and utility employees have donated nearly $13 million and Consumers Energy has contributed $27 million in energy bill credits.
In-Kind Community Support
Support for communities extends beyond grants. Sometimes the donation is equipment or the time and skills of our CMS Energy and Consumers Energy employees.
Past examples of in-kind corporate support include donating or selling at significantly reduced prices used computers, furniture and office equipment to qualified nonprofit agencies; facilitating meetings; providing job shadowing opportunities for local students; and offering training provided by our employees in computer software, accounting and business applications, to name a few.
For inquiries about in-kind community support, please Contact Us.
