Since establishing the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund in March, Entergy Corp. shareholders have committed more than US$1.3 million to help community nonprofits and qualifying customers who are struggling with the financial impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Through grants made to United Way and other nonprofit partners, Entergy's relief fund is addressing community impacts and helping customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, and Texas pay for basic needs such as food and nutrition, rent and mortgage assistance, and other critical living expenses until financial situations become more stable.
"Experience has shown us that in times of disaster, vulnerable customers are disproportionately impacted. That's why we have focused on teaming up with community partners to address the basic needs of our working families and low-income elderly and disabled customers in the communities we serve," said Patty Riddlebarger, vice president of corporate social responsibility at Entergy. "We're so grateful for our community partners who mobilized quickly to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, relief funds are being distributed to people who need them most."
Grants awarded to date include the following:
- Entergy Arkansas donated US$100,000 to the Arkansas Community Foundation to help Arkansas nonprofits working to serve the state's most vulnerable populations and those disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and the economic fallout.
- Entergy Louisiana granted US$100,000 to help create the Fueling the Fight fund with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation to cover the cost of food and labor associated with providing meals to frontline hospital workers and nonprofit organizations in need of assistance. The company will match individual donations to the fund up to US$50,000. Entergy Louisiana contributed US$50,000 and US$10,000 in matching donations to United Way of Northeast Louisiana and another US$50,000 and US$10,000 in matching donations to United Way of Southwest Louisiana to enable them to replicate the program in their areas. It also granted US$5000 each to United Way of St. Charles, United Way of St. John, and United Way of St. James to support COVID-19 relief efforts in their communities.
- Entergy Mississippi donated more than US$385,000 to create the Mississippi Relief Fund for 15 nonprofit groups in the service area to share. The fund targets grants to organizations that provide services to families and individuals that have been hit hard financially by the COVID-19 pandemic and lack resources for basic needs.
- Entergy New Orleans' US$200,000 contribution helped establish the Hospitality Cares Pandemic Response Fund to provide crisis grants to hospitality workers who are unable to afford essential financial needs during the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Entergy Texas donated US$300,000 to the Southeast Texas Relief Fund to support nine nonprofit groups across 22 counties. Grants are going to nonprofits that provide services to people who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and do not have financial resources for basic needs such as food, rent, and utilities.
- Entergy's Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan donated US$25,000 to the Van Buren Intermediate School District to support students and families throughout Van Buren County. Entergy also granted US$12,500 to the United Way of Southwest Michigan to support their relief efforts in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties near the company’s Palisades Power Plant.
- Entergy’s Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, New York, granted a total of US$50,000 to fund COVID-19 relief efforts of area nonprofits: US$15,000 to United Way of Westchester and Putnam County to fund 2-1-1 Resource Referrals, US$20,000 to Feeding Westchester to provide 9000 meals, US$10,000 to Cortlandt Ambulance Corps to purchase PPE, and US$5000 to Volunteer Service Bureau to support volunteerism.
Company shareholders agreed to match employees' contributions to United Way relief efforts dollar for dollar up to US$100,000. Entergy's executive officers also committed US$100,000 to United Way's COVID-19 relief efforts.
Further fundraising efforts led by Entergy have made more funds and materials available for emergency assistance. These efforts include:
- Entergy shareholders recently doubled their match of customer donations to The Power to Care from US$500,000 to US$1 million. Because of COVID-19, the company made the increase in matching dollars available immediately to provide emergency bill payment assistance to low-income seniors and disabled persons.
- Employees at Entergy's Arkansas Nuclear One plant delivered US$2000 worth of PPE, including nearly 500 coveralls, 120 lab coats and disinfection supplies, to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Russellville.
- Entergy New Orleans donated US$13,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank to provide 21,000 meals for service industry workers across Orleans Parish.
- Entergy donated US$100,000 to Orleans Parish Public Schools to provide 500 Chromebooks to help students participate in distance learning. Entergy's donation helped launch a national campaign that raised US$2 million to purchase a total of 10,000 Chromebooks for parish students.
- Entergy's Waterford 3 Nuclear Station donated 1000 hazmat suits to the New Orleans Veterans Affair Hospital.
- Employees at Entergy's New Orleans Power Station teamed up with Burns & McDonnell, an engineering and construction firm, to donate approximately 1500 N95 masks to New Orleans East Hospital health care workers.
For more information on Entergy's COVID-19 response, visit here.
