FirstEnergy Donates $2.2 Million in Personal Protective Equipment to Organizations in Need

Face masks, gloves, cleaning supplies and more being distributed through long-standing relationship with United Way

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Jul 12, 2021, 16:10 ET

AKRON, Ohio, July 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is donating tens of thousands of face masks, gloves, cleaning supplies, and other forms of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the United Way to benefit the health and safety of communities served by the company. Valued at $2.2 million, they will be distributed to 15 United Way chapters across FirstEnergy's service area.

"Safety is our number one priority. With plenty of unknowns early in the COVID-19 pandemic, including how long it would last, we sourced PPE supplies to ensure our essential workforce would be protected while continuing to deliver the safe, reliable power on which our customers depend," said Steven E. Strah, president and chief executive officer of FirstEnergy. "The efficiency of our remote working team allowed us to focus our PPE needs on in-office staff as well as those who work among the public. As vaccination rates increase and case counts drop, we are fortunate to be able to share these supplies with organizations that need them."

The items being donated include:

7,300 face masks
18,800 N-95 respirators
3,000 nitrile powder-free gloves
6,000 hand-pump hand sanitizer dispensers
2,400 half-gallon hand sanitizer refills
280 one-gallon hand sanitizer containers with pumps
172,000 packets of disinfectant wipes
31,300 canisters of disinfectant wipes

"We have been proud to support the United Way for decades now, whether through our participation in 'Day of Caring' and volunteerism or by providing them with vital supplies at a critical time such as this," said Lorna Wisham, vice president, Corporate Affairs & Community Involvement at FirstEnergy. "FirstEnergy's commitment to the safety of our communities doesn't end at the light switch, and we couldn't ask for a better partner in distributing these supplies than United Way."

The PPE supplies are being donated through more than 15 United Way chapters, chosen based on need, employee contributions, and location, in areas covered by all 10 of FirstEnergy's operating companies, including:

United Way of Greater Stark (Ohio)
United Way of Greater Toledo (Ohio)
United Way of Summit & Medina Counties (Ohio)
Tygart Valley United Way (West Virginia)
United Way of Monogalia & Preston Counties (West Virginia)
United Way of Eastern Panhandle (West Virginia)
United Way of Allegany County (Maryland)
United Way of Washington County (Maryland)
United Way of Monmouth & Ocean Counties (New Jersey)
United Way of Northern New Jersey (New Jersey)
United Way of Berks County (Pennsylvania)
United Way of Erie County (Pennsylvania)
Community Action Partnership (via United Way of Mercer County – Pennsylvania)
United Way of Southwestern Pa.-Westmoreland County (Pennsylvania)
United Way of Washington County (Pennsylvania)

FirstEnergy routinely supports more than 100 United Way chapters across the company's six-state service area. In 2020 alone, the company and its employees donated more than $3 million to 116 local United Way agencies. More information on FirstEnergy's commitment to community involvement, including support of United Way, is available at www.firstenergycorp.com/community.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note: Photos of FirstEnergy personnel preparing and delivering donated supplies are available for download on Flickr. A video of the supply deliveries can be found on the company's YouTube channel.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.