December 15, 2020

Pandemic Perseverance
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The AEP volunteer spirit is alive and well, even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees from across the system applied for and received Making a Difference grants to support local nonprofit organizations in their communities.

From Tulsa, Okla., to Pikeville, Ky., and points between, 47 organizations received up to $300 from AEP to support people in need in their communities. Employees worked with the charitable groups to conduct virtual or COVID-safe food and clothing drives, beautification projects and more.

Five employees at DC Cook Nuclear Plant combined Nuclear Science Week with Making a Difference by recording themselves reading STEM-themed books for a South Haven Public School kindergarten class. They used the Making a Difference grant to purchase the books for the students and posted the videos to the Cook Plant Facebook.

In San Angelo, Texas, Gricelda Calzada, manager, External Affairs, and her team used the $300 Making a Difference grant to support Meals for the Elderly. Two retired employees, one contractor and five full time AEP Texas employees, along with an employee's spouse, deliver approximately 22 meals each week. 'Volunteering for Meals for the Elderly is essential because without volunteers like us, these homebound elderly would not be able to get a hot meal each day,' Calzada said.

Making a Difference Grant project highlights:

AEP Corporate and AEP Ohio

Girl Scouts RFSU - prepare outdoor skills training kits for Girl Scouts in grades 6-12

Hilliard Ohio Soccer Association - provide soccer equipment for disadvantaged families

Mid-Ohio Food Collective - purchase and package items for the foodbank

Nisonger Early Learning Program - adapt two-seat power wheels for children receiving therapy

Pioneer School - provide alternative life skills job-training materials

Serving Our Neighbors - prepare 'grab and go' meal kits for children K-12

Star House - provide personal hygiene items to homeless youth ages 14-24

Sufficient Grace - provide healthy meals for undernourished schoolchildren

YWCA Family Center - host a luncheon for families and assist with the purchase of COVID supplies

AEP Texas

Feeding CASA, Corpus Christi - support virtual lunch for youth and volunteers

Meals for the Elderly - deliver nutritious meals to homebound elderly in San Angelo

Pregnancy Center of the Coastal Bend - provide diapers, formula and other necessities for mothers and children

Salvation Army, Corpus Christi - feed the homeless through monthly street outreach program

Appalachian Power

Virginia

American Heart Association - support research and provide information to the public

Grace Network of Martinsville-Henry County - support fundraiser for holiday meals and gifts

West Virginia

United Way of Upper Ohio Valley - support the 2020 United Way campaign

Harmony House - provide winter clothing items

Heart & Hand of South Charleston - provide food, clothing, medical equipment and weekend food bags for middle school students and senior citizens

John Marshall High School - help students acquire items they are unable to afford

Marshall County Animal rescue League - purchase items on the shelter's wish list and prepare a

Marshall County Family Resource Network - purchase and distribute personal hygiene items to community teens

Moundville Middle School - purchase an adaptive bike for special needs children's physical education program

Southwestern Virginia Action for Youth - hold a COVID-safe mobile Halloween Trunk or Treat

Tug Valley Recovery Shelter - create an Amazon wish list for shelter residents

Washington Lands Elementary School - support Project Lead the Way to encourage science education

Youth Services System, Inc. - Collect and deliver Christmas gifts for youth in the system's care

Indiana Michigan Power

South Haven Public School - provide outreach to local elementary kindergarten class via video STEM books read and recorded by DC Cook Nuclear plant employees

United Way of Southwest Michigan - assemble senior personal care kits for the fall/winter months

Kentucky Power

East Kentucky Dream Center, Inc. - prepare 'to go' lunch boxes for clients

PSO

Neighbors Helping Neighbors - support activities to provide food, clothing, medicine, etc., for people in need

Comfort Closets - support the backpack program to meet a variety of student needs from school supplies to food to clothing and hygiene items

Cummings Family Ministry - support a canned food drive

Grand Lake Community Ministry, Inc. - support activities for vulnerable people on the South Side of Grand Lake, OK.

Indian health Care Resource Center of Tulsa, Inc. - assist Native American children and their families with food, clothing and household items

Iron Gate Trust - purchase warm clothes and food for Iron Gate guests

Light of Hope, Inc. - support a fresh food distribution event

Parent Child Center of Tulsa, Inc. - build a play area at the facility

Sigma Oklahoma Foundation - support youth mentoring with STEM education materials and activities

The Bridges Foundation - support individuals with developmental disabilities with donations for adaptive equipment and other needs

Tulsa Memorial Junior High School - collect and donate school supplies for teachers and students to support remote learning

Vinita Day Center - purchase paint and other supplies to enhance the facility

SWEPCO

Arkansas

Hope Distributors - purchase bulk non-perishable food items for distribution to local food banks

Louisiana

Learning Ladder Academy - purchase a laptop/Chromebook to facilitate E-learning

Right to Play, Inc. - maintain and beautify the park with new plants and fresh mulch and making repairs as necessary

Texas

City of Waskom - purchase a video camera for use by park staff

Heartisans - repair and renovate for facility expansion

Senior Citizens of Texarkana - purchase ice chests to hold and distribute meals to the elderly

2020 Making a Difference Grants
Soccer to me! Charles Blankenbiller, GET P&C, led a project to collect new and used soccer equipment for the Hilliard Ohio Soccer Association. Cleats, shoes, shin guards and more will be distributed to kids who could not otherwise afford to participate in the sport.
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AEP volunteer Michael Ward safely receives donations from AEP employees at the Star House drop off site.
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This happy little pumpkin was among 200 children who received goodie bags from Pikeville District Service Center employees as part of the Halloween Trunk or Treat for Southern West Virginia Action Center.
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Scott Hampton, Carolyn Hampton and Jamie Robinson paint a mural at Heartisans Marketplace.
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West Virginia WiNUP members walked in the Heart and Hand Annual Kay Hall Hike for Hunger in Charleston. Participants included Judy Hurd, Misty Heldreth, Ellen Baker, Christina Massey, her husband Drew and Robin Watson with grandson Grey. Monies raised from the Hike help 5,000 individuals each year with food, clothing, household items, work shoes, home medical equipment, diapers, formula, utility assistance and more.
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Amy Yenkin, wife of David Yenkin (AEP Commercial Operations), is shown among the many items collected for the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities (FCBDD). The items are packaged into hygiene bags and distributed to FCBDD clients.
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Members of AEP On-Site Partners (l-r) Dan Smies, Joel Jansen, Mike Stauffer, Peter Protopappas and Zach Champa packed 'grab and go' meals for school children at Serving Our Neighbors.
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AEP - American Electric Power Company Inc. published this content on 15 December 2020 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 15 December 2020 19:34:05 UTC