Apr 16, 2025 | Community Involvement
We believe that education is vital for vibrant communities. That’s why we donate our time, energy and our know-how to help students and teachers in our neighborhoods. Through PPL Foundation grants, we are helping prepare today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders.
Community Services for Children (CSC) is a recipient of an Education Improvement Tax Credit grant. The organization is using this grant to help support its two “Innovation Labs” at its downtown Allentown location.
The labs provide a number of hands-on STEM learning tools and programs to help build thinking and collaboration skills for preschool-aged children in Allentown.
“CSC is about connecting families to the resources that they need,” said Deidra Vachier, CEO and president of CSC. “Many of the children that we serve, because they are some of our most vulnerable children have never had a preschool experience.”
Due in part to the opportunities provided by the labs, CSC says that kids’ test scores at the downtown Allentown location have been higher than other locations in the region.
“It supports everything that the PPL Foundation supports,” said Jane George, manager of government affairs and special projects at PPL Electric Utilities. “[The students] were engaged, they wanted to learn, and this is becoming their foundation for future learning.”
View the video below to learn more about the PPL Foundation, CSC and how these Innovation Labs are helping these young students learn vital educational skills.
Apr 9, 2025 | Community Involvement
Through the PPL Foundation’s Empowering Communities grants, we support local programs focused on education, environmental stewardship, economic development and/or workforce development. We believe that serving our communities means much more than just delivering safe and reliable electricity.
UPMC in North Central Pa. and Susquehanna Health Foundation are recent recipients of an Empowering Communities grant. The health system’s foundation is using this grant to support its nursing co-op program. The co-op graduated 11 local high schoolers on April 4 after 15 weeks of hands-on, real-world experience inside of area UPMC locations. The students come from Loyalsock, Williamsport, South Williamsport and Hughesville high schools.
We believe in supporting education and setting up students for long-term success in their careers. That’s why we have provided grants to Susquehanna Health Foundation since 2023.
“These students are getting the full experience,” said Alison Gower, program director for the co-op at UPMC Williamsport. “They work alongside the nurses and nurse aids, and work with patients on a personal level to help give them the care that they need.”
The student nurses rotate through several departments during the program, including the medical-surgical unit, emergency department, The Birthplace, Intensive Care Unit, rehabilitation, pediatrics, Operating Room and a unit of the students’ choice that they are most interested in learning more about. 
“This is something that most students don’t get to do when they’re in high school. It’s been an incredible experience,” said Abigail Lorson, a senior at South Williamsport High School. “I’ve learned that this job is about devoting yourself to the patients and making them feel as comfortable as they can be. You can’t learn this level of care in a book.”
“It’s really nice to have a program like this because it has given me a chance to try out a role before committing my career to it,” added fellow South Williamsport senior Alizabeth Schuler.”
The co-op is a paid program that gives not only hands-on experience, but a boost to the start of students’ college careers. And for those who do not pursue higher education, there are opportunities to work at UPMC after the program. Of the 44 students who have graduated from the program in the last five co-ops, 14 have been hired into care attendant positions.
“When I first started the co-op, I didn’t know where within the hospital I wanted to go,” said Michael Yoas, another senior at South Williamsport. “This showed me the areas that I liked and enjoyed, and I want to someday become a registered nurse.”
While providing care to the patients is the top priority of this co-op, it is providing clarity to the students and affirming that this career path is right for them.
“It has been everything I imagined and more; this experience clarified for me that this is what I want to do with my life,” Lorson said.
“We really appreciate our partnership with Susquehanna Health Foundation and UPMC,” said Jonah Howe, regional affairs director at PPL Electric Utilities. “This type of opportunity is so crucial to the future of healthcare and taking care of our communities, and this level of program is a perfect fit for an Empowering Communities grant.”
The latest batch of co-op students have now officially moved on from the program, but two more semesters of students will join the team next school year, beginning in the fall.
“Over the years, the students have all been very responsible and hardworking, and it’s so great to see their excitement,” Gower said. “We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from PPL, and we look forward to growing this program and educating these students.”
Apr 1, 2025 | Community Involvement
We enjoy giving back to our communities and neighbors in powerful ways, not because it looks good on paper, but because it is who we are. Aside from the warmth and liveliness of spring, it’s why we love April, one of the busiest months on our calendar.
The month of April will be busy once again in 2025, as we continue our 100-year commitment to serving eastern and central Pennsylvania. Here’s how we’ll be empowering our communities this month:
- 🌎 Caring for our environment: April is Earth Month, and Earth Day is celebrated on April 22. We will be taking part in a number of volunteer activities during the week of Earth Day, planting trees and sprucing up local parks in Harrisburg, Williamsport, Allentown, Bethlehem, Hazleton and Scranton.
- But before we head out for our Earth Day festivities, we’ll be in East Greenville on April 12 to clean up the Perkiomen Stream at the Kistler Bitting YMCA Park. We also are holding a family volunteer day event at the Wildlands Conservancy on April 12, where our employees will get to bring their families along to help beautify the conservancy’s nature preserves.
- 👨🏫 Supporting education: We know today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, so we support education year-round. April is a great example of what we do to aid curriculums throughout our service territory.
- On April 14, we will be hosting 75 students from the Allentown School District for an up-close look at careers in the energy industry. Students will learn about linework, cybersecurity, customer service, environmental management and more. Later in the month, we will also be hosting students from SUN Area Technical Institute for a tour of one of our service centers and to learn more about operations at PPL Electric Utilities.
- 💕 Giving and grants: Our grant programs help organizations throughout the 29 counties we serve inspire students and children, foster inclusion, encourage environmental stewardship and more. While our PPL Foundation team gets ready to notify this year’s recipients of Powering Equity Grants in May, we’re checking in with a pair of organizations that have already received funding from the PPL Foundation
- Another successful semester of the Student Career Exploration Co-Op Program is wrapping up at UPMC, where local high school students receive weekly hands-on nursing experience through the Susquehanna Health Foundation. The student-nurses will talk about all they’ve been able to learn through the program as they explore nursing as a career. Supporting STEM education is also something we strongly believe in. That’s why we’re excited to visit with our friends at Community Services for Children (CSC) in Allentown and watch their young students play and learn in CSC’s Innovation Lab. Funded in part by a PPL Foundation grant, the lab offers several hands-on learning activities.
Our employees give their time and money year-round to help nonprofit organizations, support sustainable communities and empower students and educators. We look forward to every opportunity to assist our neighborhoods, making April an especially exciting time. As spring begins to take over Pennsylvania, we look forward to springing into action throughout our communities!
Nov 11, 2024 | Community Involvement, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion
Every Veterans Day, we honor all who have served in the military. Veterans at PPL Electric Utilities can join our PPLVets business resource group, which holds veteran-led meetings and events throughout the year. Through the PPL Foundation, we’re also proud to support organizations throughout our 29-county service territory that assist veterans.
The I’M ABLE Foundation is one of these organizations. The foundation is based in Wyomissing and is a recent recipient of a Powering Equity grant. I’M ABLE builds on its mission to remove obstacles for people with challenges, providing them with access to programs and equipment tailored to their needs.
In addition to providing free adaptive and inclusive group fitness programs for children, I’M ABLE also provides free fitness and mentorship opportunities for veterans though its Operation Lead from the Front program.
“The I’M ABLE Foundation is a place where people can come and get active – people of all abilities,” said Brian Sutherland, director of development for the I’M ABLE Foundation.
The foundation hosts classes at its gym twice a week and also takes part in events on select weekends. While the childrens’ and veterans’ fitness classes bring in different audiences, veterans have the opportunity to take part in mentoring and helping children in the foundation’s I’M FIT classes.
Jason Kish is a military veteran who has become a mentor for two children in the I’M FIT class.
“It just makes my life more enriched, just to get away from my normal day-to-day routine,” Kish said. “This is something that’s just hard to describe – how rewarding it is.”
A photo of Kish (left) and Josh (right) during one of the program’s I’M FIT classes.
Since I’M ABLE began hosting classes, attendance has jumped from an average of five participants to 40 per class. Sutherland says that this jump is thanks to donors like the PPL Foundation that make this programming free.
“You guys giving back to the community and making this possible for people of all abilities – it makes a difference,” he said. “All these kids can come together and just be celebrated for who they are and what they can do.”
“The work that they are doing to advance inclusivity in our community is so important,” said Kelly Palmer, PPL Electric Utilities regional affairs director. “It’s really meeting a community need, and it’s exactly the type of program we would want to fund through the Powering Equity grant. We are proud to support the I’M ABLE Foundation, and we are proud to support our veterans.”
Oct 25, 2024 | Community Involvement
VIDEO: PPL making fitness accessible to all at the Bloomsburg Area YMCA
Through its grants, the PPL Foundation invests in building communities. There are a number of grant cycles year-round that support different initiatives. Every summer, the foundation awards Powering Equity grants to organizations that specifically work to promote greater equity and inclusion in the neighborhoods we serve.
The Bloomsburg Area YMCA is a recent recipient of a Powering Equity grant. It serves Columbia and Montour counties and is dedicated to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA is using the Powering Equity grant to support its growing Adaptive Health and Recreation Program for children with disabilities.
“This adaptive program is meant for kids ages three to 13,” said Collin Benfield, director of programs and membership development at the YMCA. “We try to offer a myriad of different sporting and recreational opportunities for kids that may not otherwise get them in a safe manner and in a manner that helps aid their physical therapy.”
The program kicked off in 2023, and it is currently offering its second cycle of classes. It’s quickly becoming popular in the area, growing from 10 children to 22 in the first year.
“The kids and the families love it,” said Wayne Stump, chief executive officer at the YMCA. “It’s evidenced by just how quickly this program has grown.”
There are two sessions during the year during the spring and fall. The current fall session is held on Wednesday nights, which is becoming the highlight of these kids’ weeks.
“Their feedback is that they want it more often – every day, if they could,” Benfield said. “It feels amazing knowing that we’re providing wellness for all…regardless of ability or disability.”
As the program expands and the numbers grow, the need for funding becomes more important.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without the funding that we do get. We’re really appreciative of the PPL Foundation and others,” Stump said. “With the amount of costs that families have, this might be a burden if they had to pay for it.”
The YMCA says it looks forward to accepting more kids into the program and continuing to provide accessibility to all.
“To me and the rest of the grants committee, when programs benefit a wide range of diverse groups, that really makes them special,” said Jonah Howe, PPL Electric Utilities’ regional affairs director in the area. “We’re proud to support the Adaptive Health Program at the Bloomsburg YMCA.”
