ITC Great Plains Donates $92K to Kansas Charitable Organizations in 2016

Donations promote education, social services, health and sustainability

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Dec 27, 2016, 06:45 ET

TOPEKA, Kan., Dec. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ITC Great Plains donated more than $92 thousand to 10 charitable organizations in Kansas in 2016. ITC, the nation's largest independent electricity transmission company, provides donations to nonprofits that align with ITC's charitable interests and strengthen communities.

Roberta Lowrey of the National Orphan Train board and great-granddaughter of a train rider, leads Brett Leopold, president of ITC Great Plains on a tour of the National Orphan Train Museum in Concordia, Kansas. A 2016 grant from ITC Great Plains will be used to create two traveling exhibitions and related materials to highlight the general overview of the orphan train movement.

Highlighting ITC's donations in Kansas was the Concordia-based National Orphan Train Complex, consisting of a museum and research center dedicated to the preservation of the stories and artifacts of those who were part of the Orphan Train Movement from 1854-1929. The National Orphan Train Complex collects, preserves, interprets and disseminates knowledge about the orphan trains and the children and agents who rode them in an effort to preserve the region's heritage for future generations.

"The gift will be used to create two traveling exhibitions and related materials to highlight the general overview of the orphan train movement," said National Orphan Train Complex curator Shaley K. George. "We are contacted daily by teachers, students, museums, libraries and the general public for hands-on materials and displays and the funds provided by community partners like ITC will allow us to reach those who may not otherwise be able to visit our museum."

In addition, ITC presented charitable grants to the following Kansas-based organizations:

Community Foundation of Southwest Kansas, Dodge City
Heartland Community Foundation, Hays
Orpheum Performing Arts Center, Wichita
Sand County Foundation, Kansas
Topeka Civic Theatre and Academy, Topeka
Exploration Place, Wichita
Youth Entrepreneurs, Wichita

"ITC is committed to contributing to programs that positively impact the communities we serve," said Brett Leopold, president, ITC Great Plains. "Whether those contributions come in the form of charitable grants or donations and volunteer hours from our generous employees, our team strives to be a good neighbor in the region."

ITC has donated more than $5.2 million to deserving nonprofits throughout its footprint since 2010, including organizations in Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Iowa and Minnesota.

Through its charitable giving activities, ITC awards grants to qualified 501 (c) (3) organizations focused on social services, education, health and wellness, environmental stewardship, and arts and culture that deliver charitable services in the counties where ITC operates. Sources of ITC's contributions include special grants, executive donations, employee charitable outings and casual dress days. For more information about ITC's charitable giving program or to apply for a grant, visit http://www.itc-holdings.com/community-approach/philanthropy.

About ITC Great Plains
ITC Great Plains, LLC is a transmission-only utility operating in the Southwest Power Pool region. The company currently operates approximately 470 circuit miles of transmission lines in Kansas and Oklahoma. ITC Great Plains maintains regional offices in Dodge City, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Little Rock, Arkansas. ITC Great Plains is a subsidiary of ITC Grid Development, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the nation's largest independent electric transmission company. ITC's focus on transmission and grid expansion drives operational excellence and delivers superior value for customers, communities and other stakeholders.

About ITC Holdings Corp.
ITC, a Fortis company, is the largest independent electric transmission company in the United States. Based in Novi, Michigan, ITC invests in the electric transmission grid to improve reliability, expand access to markets, allow new generating resources to interconnect to its transmission systems and lower the overall cost of delivered energy. Through its regulated operating subsidiaries ITCTransmission, Michigan Electric Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and ITC Great Plains, ITC owns and operates high-voltage transmission facilities in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, serving a combined peak load exceeding 26,000 megawatts along approximately 15,800 circuit miles of transmission line with 660 employees and nearly 1,000 contractors across its seven state footprint. ITC's grid development focus includes growth through regulated infrastructure investment as well as domestic and international expansion through merchant and other commercial development opportunities. ITC Holdings Corp. common shares are owned 80.1% by Fortis Inc. and 19.9% by GIC Private Limited. Additional information can be accessed at www.itc-holdings.com.