Duke Energy responds to rising costs with $100,000 in grants to senior mobile meal programs in South Carolina

When times are tough and many feel a strain on their pocketbooks, older South Carolinians who are already in need of nutritious meals and the nonprofits that serve them can and do struggle to just get by.

To both assist and amplify this critical need, the Duke Energy Foundation is funding $100,000 in grants to 23 mobile feeding programs that serve more than 10,000 seniors every day across the state.

These grants come at a time of great need, with many feeding programs feeling the financial double impact of recovering from the pandemic and economic uncertainties. Rising costs are challenging the daily food operations of these community organizations, and these impacts at the gas pump have led to a large number of volunteer drivers stepping down or modifying their delivery routes.

“Food insecurity is a challenge for many and directly impacts the communities we serve,” said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy’s South Carolina state president. “We hope this funding will fill a crucial gap while also shining a bright light on the people who do this amazing work to support our seniors each and every day.”

The grant will allow local organizations to either purchase gas cards to supplement volunteers’ costs to deliver meals, or offset the cost of paid drivers, allowing these groups to continue to feed seniors much-needed nutritious meals.

A complete list of recipients can be found here.

Quotes

• “Our organization has seen a 105% increase in our gas expenses in the past year,” said Catriona Carlisle, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Greenville. “The rising prices have caused drivers to be unable to afford regular delivery of meals to our neighbors in need. The invaluable support of Duke Energy will allow us to recruit more volunteers to make sure we continue serving over 1,500 meals daily in Greenville County.”
• “Partners like Duke Energy make services like our senior mobile meal delivery program possible,” said Tracey Bendenbaugh, CEO of Piedmont Agency on Aging. “This grant will allow us to more confidently deliver meals to our neighbors despite rising commodity costs.”
• “As prices increase, so does the need for our services,” said Gail Wilson, executive director for Sumter Senior Services. “With the grant provided by the Duke Energy Foundation, we will be able to meet these needs and assist seniors in Sumter County. We are so appreciative of their support.”

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 (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 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business and at least a 50% carbon reduction from electric generation by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The 2050 net-zero goals also include Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 emissions. 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 2022 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “America’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.