Local Communities Benefit From PennEast’s Community Investment That Now Exceeds $600,000
PennEast Pipeline Company is pleased to announce its eighth round of grant awards through its Community Investment Program, which now has invested more than $600,000 in local organizations making a difference in their communities.
The recent class of PennEast Community Connector grant recipients again spans the PennEast Pipeline Project’s corridor; from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, to Mercer County, New Jersey. Reflective of PennEast’s commitment to safety, the majority of the latest grant recipients are first responders.
“PennEast’s Community Connector Grants continue to provide much-needed assistance to a host of important organizations,” said Pam Witmer of PennEast Pipeline Company. “Since the program’s inception, my colleagues and I have had the privilege to spend time with numerous recipients. After visiting with local first responders, food banks, and other community volunteers, it’s evident how important PennEast’s grants are to ever-tightening budgets.”
PennEast’s most recent recipients include the Peaceful Knights in Carbon County, Pa., Klecknersville Rangers Volunteer Fire Co. in Northampton County, Pa., and Quakertown Fire Company in Hunterdon County, NJ.
For the Peaceful Knights homeless shelter, Aggie Schoenberger explained, “The roof on our shelter has been leaking and is extremely costly to fix. Fortunately, PennEast’s Community Connector Grant will provide us the funds we need to fix the roof and better serve those in need.”
Members of the Klecknersville Rangers Volunteer Fire Company discussed how the grant will help with the purchase of a new truck to fight brush and vegetation fires. “The northern tier of our township contains over 6,000 acres of State Forests, State Gamelands and National Park Service lands,” said Klecknersville Rangers Volunteer Fire Company President Vincent Kier. “Additionally, Moore Township and Chapman Borough contain numerous areas of remote areas where it’s difficult to traverse and access. Thanks to the help of PennEast, our new brush truck will allow us to quickly, effectively and efficiently control brush and vegetation fires throughout our area.”
For Quakertown Fire Company, Fire Chief Bradley Patkochis discussed how, “It’s difficult to keep up with the equipment needed to effectively outfit our more than 50 volunteers to provide fire protection in our 49-square mile area. With PennEast’s grant, we’ll be able to replace old gear, and as a result, better protect the townships in Hunterdon County that we strive to keep safe.”
From helping provide safe shelter to support for first responders, PennEast is proud to help so many critical local causes.
“Delivering clean, low-cost, reliable energy is PennEast Pipeline Company’s ultimate mission,” said Witmer. “However, giving back to our communities is equally important. We’re so pleased we’re able to do both.”
Latest Grant Recipients
Recent Community Connector Grant recipients and corresponding grant descriptions include:
- Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation: Workshops to educate communities on natural gas as a transportation fuel.
- Klecknersville Rangers Volunteer Fire Company, Northampton County: Brush truck to fight vegetation fires.
- Lehighton Borough Police Department, Carbon County: Body cameras for new surveillance system.
- Mercer County Rapid Response Partnership: Purchase of equipment for police and emergency medical services.
- Northampton County Fire School: New equipment for hazardous materials training.
- Peaceful Knights, Carbon County: Fix damaged homeless shelter roof.
- Quakertown Fire Company, Hunterdon County: New equipment for volunteers.
- Safe Communities Coalition of Hunterdon County: Support for the “Knock Out Opiates” campaign.
- Stockton Fire Company, Hunterdon County: A combination fire suppression, patient transport skid unit for use in an off-road unit.
- Upper Nazareth Township Police Department, Northampton County: Purchase of updated computer system.
- West Wyoming Borough Police Department, Luzerne County: Two Automated External Defibrillators and advanced first aid medical supplies to be placed in patrol cars.
For additional information on the Community Connector Grant Program and eligibility requirements, visit http://penneastpipeline.com/community-investment/. For information on PennEast’s Powering STEM Program, visit http://penneastpipeline.com/powering-stem/.
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