First State Times

Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on June 25

As part of its ongoing support for customers and communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Delmarva Power has announced it will donate $75,000 through its Community Scholars Program to support local Delaware and Maryland students seeking careers in energy and related fields. The company also is expanding its support for small business recovery by donating $100,000 to small business relief funds in Delaware and Maryland.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has strained our economy and limited financial support for students in Delaware and Maryland, and across the country,” said Gary Stockbridge, Delmarva Power region president. “As we continue to recover as a region, we are making strategic investments, including helping students pursuing STEM fields to continue on that path and supporting our small businesses who are integral to the vibrancy of our communities. Together, these investments will help our communities and local economies rebound and ensure we have a diverse and skilled pipeline of local talent who can continue to support our customers’ evolving energy needs.”

Delmarva Power’s Community Scholars Program will provide financial assistance to students who are pursuing higher education and vocational training—helping sustain a local workforce that is prepared for future careers in energy. The program will provide grants for the 2020-2021 academic year to the following educational institutions:

• Delaware Technical Community College
• Wor-Wic Community College

The Community Scholars Program grants will be provided to local educational institutions, supporting students as gap funding. Partnering educational institutions will make award decisions based on a student’s financial need and pursuit of degrees in energy-related fields.

Funding for small businesses will be available to locally owned and operated entities and will supplement existing small business recovery programs to help meet unmatched demand for financial assistance. Delmarva Power is providing grants to the following programs:

• True Access Capital (TAC) (formerly First State Community Loan Agency) Emergency Grant Program for Delaware-based small businesses
• City of Salisbury COVID-19 Micro-grant Program

A robust and skilled energy workforce is essential to keeping the lights on. Delmarva Power’s support is part of the company’s effort to help communities respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and provide the highest level of service for customers. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Delmarva Power has supported COVID-19 relief efforts across the region, including $100,000 in contributions committed to local organizations in March and April to support food insecurity and other financial challenges facing residents.  In addition, Delmarva Power crews have worked around-the-clock, in accordance with local ordinances, to maintain the critical infrastructure that powers hospitals and health care facilities, federal, state and local response centers, and businesses, as well as the many homes that make up the region.

Delmarva Power is committed to supporting innovative workforce development programs in local communities. Since becoming part of the Exelon family of companies, Delmarva Power has spent millions of dollars supporting workforce development in the region, energizing job growth and providing long-term benefits for the state’s workers, businesses and economy. In 2019, Delmarva Power helped Delaware middle and high school students prepare for the workplace through a grant to Junior Achievement Delaware’s Workforce Readiness Initiative.

Original source can be found here.