CenterPoint Energy Honored at Arkansas Community Service Awards Event

HOUSTON, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CenterPoint Energy (NYSE: CNP) recently received the Large Corporate Humanitarian Award at the 33rd Annual Arkansas Community Service Awards ceremony.

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The Arkansas Community Service Awards, which are sponsored by KARK Channel 4, the Duncan Law Firm, and presented in conjunction with the Office of the Governor and the Arkansas Department of Human Services, recognize individuals and businesses for their dedication and commitment in supporting volunteerism throughout the state.

"This is a huge honor and I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to all of our hard-working and community-minded employees in Arkansas," said Walter Bryant, vice president of Gas Operations in Arkansas. "I'm very proud of them for making a difference in the lives of so many in the communities throughout the state in which we live and work."

Camp Aldersgate, a summer camp serving children with medical, physical and developmental challenges, nominated CenterPoint Energy for the award. The company sponsors a fishing derby at Camp Aldersgate during the week of Spina Bifida Camp each summer. During this week, CenterPoint Energy employees help campers, many who are in wheelchairs, bait hooks, cast rods and reel in their catches.

CenterPoint Energy employees in Arkansas also volunteer in a variety of other ways including walking in the March of Dimes' March for Babies, helping to staff a phone-a-thon for the Arkansas Children's Hospital, participating in Junior Achievement activities, sponsoring Little Rock's RiverFest, and much more.

Arkansas Community Service Awards judges selected one finalist in the large corporate category each month from June 2009 to May 2010. Prior to the awards ceremony, judges evaluated each corporation's contribution to the Arkansas community including the percentage of employees involved in community service, the average yearly total of hours donated to the community, the total monetary contribution to the community and company policies encouraging volunteerism among employees.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total nearly $20 billion. With about 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 135 years. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc.