Duke Energy funds $100,000 in upgrades to the American Red Cross Emergency app, helping increase accessibility among diverse audiences

• Enhancements support native or primary Spanish language speakers, people with disabilities and adults 65+
• The Duke Energy Foundation will donate $1 to the Red Cross for every app download through June 30, up to $20,000

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Powered by a $100,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, the Red Cross unveiled today its new and improved Emergency app for weather safety. Enhancements help remove language, location and ability barriers and improve the overall user experience, ensuring all customers can have critical tools and preparedness information at their fingertips.

"As storm threats continue to grow, we want to ensure our communities most vulnerable to climate risk and least able to prepare have access to trusted, tailored and actionable resources," said Amy Strecker, Duke Energy Foundation president. "This app will empower our customers to better prepare for, respond to and recover from risks most common in their area when it matters most."

The latest version of the Emergency app comes as 2024's Atlantic hurricane season nears, beginning June 1 and lasting through Nov. 30. It is free, is available in both English and Spanish and offers a variety of features informed by recent design studies and testing with differently abled audiences, including content at the Grade 6 reading level and enhanced gamification for disaster- and hazard-related updates.

"We're so grateful for Duke Energy and their generous sponsorship of the Red Cross Emergency app," said Allie Taylor, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of North Carolina. "The app is an accessible, customizable tool that offers preparedness tips, area weather alerts, an interactive map of shelter locations and so much more to help keep your family safe, and we're thankful for partners like Duke Energy who help make this possible."

Building Resilient Communities

Over the past eight years, Duke Energy and its Foundation have donated nearly $2.7 million to the American Red Cross in support of disaster relief. To underscore its commitment to building resilient communities equipped to prepare and respond in times of crisis, the Duke Energy Foundation will also:

• Donate $1 to the Red Cross for every download from iOS and Android app stores through June 30, up to $20,000. The funds will help ensure the nonprofit can continue building capacity and resources ahead of time, keeping up with the pace of disasters and assisting customers when in need.
• Work with local Red Cross chapters across Duke Energy's service territories to make additional grants throughout the 2024 storm season to assist with disaster preparedness and recovery.

Duke Energy Foundation 
The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

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SOURCE Duke Energy