Duke donates $22K to 4 local nonprofits

By Mandy Catoe

Sunday, January 29, 2017


Duke Energy last year gave $22,100 to four Lancaster County nonprofit agencies, part of its $2.8 million in donations across the state.
“The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs of the communities where its customers live and work,” said Rick Jiran, Duke Energy VP of Community Relations.
Duke Energy awarded the local grants to the Women’s Enrichment Center, Lancaster County Council of the Arts, Katawba Valley Land Trust, and Lancaster County Partners for Youth.
Duke gave a $5,800 grant to the Women’s Enrichment Center, which was used to purchase supplies and materials for their sewing room, part of their workforce training program.
“We need to recognize that workforce development occurs in many forms – from helping children in schools to helping adults be trained or retrained,” Jiran said. “The women’s enrichment center offers a very unique opportunity for these women to gain a skill which will enable them to be productive.”
Julie Walters, director of the Women’s Enrichment Center, said she was “thrilled that Duke Energy chose us as one of the nonprofits that they wanted to assist.”
Walters encourages people to visit and shop at the group’s store, Lotus Boutique and Designs, at 311 North Main Street. All profits help the women who visit the center seeking assistance with unplanned pregnancies. The mission of the Women’s Enrichment Center is to help the women become self-sustaining.
“There is energy and excitement in their mission,” Jiran said. “It was easy to get behind them and support them. We are supporting an action, not just an idea.”
Lancaster County Council of the Arts received a $4,000 grant, which it applied to two parts of its children’s programming, according to Debbie Jaillette, director of Council on the Arts.
The funding allowed the council to provide scholarships to its arts and sciences summer camps and free tickets to “The Nutcracker” ballet for children who did not have the money to attend.
“I will not turn a child away who wants to go to camp,” Jaillette said.
The money bolstered the camps’ health and wellness initiative, enabling them to give nutritious snacks to camp attendees.
“We were able to give granola, fresh fruit and pretzels rather than potato chips,” Jaillette said. “We then use the opportunity at snack time to talk about why these are better choices.”
Camp ticket prices don’t have a snack allowance, and the grant allows the council to provide healthy snacks.
“Duke has been so, so supportive, and there is no question of the commitment they have in the communities they serve,” Jaillette said. “We are so grateful. The $4,000 is a lot of money to us.”
The foundation gave $2,800 to Katawba Valley Land Trust. The trust shares Duke’s environmental mission, Jiran said, preserving land and greenspace to help ensure quality of life for residents.
Lindsay Pettus, vice president of the Katawba Valley Land Trust, said the grant will be used to develop brochures and educational materials about conservation easements. 
Duke Energy also gave a $9,500 grant to Lancaster County Partners for Youth, which the group will use for the Promise Neighborhood project.
“Promise Neighborhood is all about economic development beginning with the child,” Jiran said. “It’s hard to ask a child to do well in school and to focus on their studies when they are hungry. This is about basic needs and being able to give those children what they need as they are growing up so when they reach the time for skills training and being productive adults, they are ready.”
The Duke Energy Foundation also responded to state emergencies last year by giving $100,000 to the One SC Fund, which helps residents recover from disasters. Duke also contributed to Harvest Hope Food Bank and American Red Cross.
The Foundation gave $25,000 to the South Carolina Firefighter’s Association after the wildfires in the Upstate.
Follow Reporter Mandy Catoe on Twitter @MandyCatoeTLN or contact her at (803) 283-1152.