• Funding will help equip Floridians and first responders with valuable information and supplies ahead of storms and emergency events

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 19, 2024 /CSRwire/ - As tropical activity begins to pick up this summer, so do Duke Energy’s efforts to help Florida customers and communities prepare for hurricanes and other emergencies.

The Duke Energy Foundation, funded by Duke Energy shareholders, recently awarded $180,000 in emergency preparedness and resiliency grants to 13 organizations and agencies in Florida. The grants will help fund storm kits for seniors, community education and outreach materials, as well as special equipment for first responders, among other initiatives led by local emergency management organizations.

“Community resilience and preparedness is a year-round effort,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “We are grateful for the ongoing collaboration and commitment of our first responders, emergency management officials and community agencies to prepare, plan and engage our communities. We have been through enough storms to know that being prepared is our best defense.”

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

• Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas – $25,000 
  
• Florida Housing Coalition – $25,000 
  
• Florida Professional Firefighters Association – $25,000 
  
• Hernando County Board of County Commissioners – $12,500 
  
• Highlands County Board of County Commissioners – $15,000 
  
• Inglis/Yankeetown Fire Rescue – $2,500 
  
• Lake County Board of County Commissioners – $5,000 
  
• Madison County Board of County Commissioners – $5,000 
  
• Orange County Emergency Management – $30,500 
  
• Orlando Regional Realtor Foundation – $9,500 
  
• Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Community Foundation – $15,000 
  
• Taylor Senior Citizens Center – $5,000 
  
• Youth Development Foundation of Pinellas County – $5,000

Community resilience and preparedness are long-standing priorities of the Duke Energy Foundation, which has awarded more than $1.7 million to support Florida’s disaster preparedness since 2019.

Duke Energy reminds customers that personal preparedness is key to a more resilient home or business. For more tips on how to prepare for storm season, please visit duke-energy.com/StormTips and download the Red Cross Emergency app. The Duke Energy Foundation will donate $1 to the Red Cross for every app download through June 30, up to $20,000.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

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.

Media contact: Audrey Stasko 
Media line: 800.559.3853 
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS

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Duke Energy

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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