AEP Foundation gift is part of the Delivering on the Dream: Social and Racial Justice grant program
GAHANNA, Ohio, December 9, 2021 – AEP Ohio, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, today announced that the American Electric Power Foundation has awarded a $200,000 grant to Community Legal Aid in northeast Ohio. The gift is part of the foundation’s Delivering on the Dream: Social and Racial Justice grant program, which is a five-year, $5 million commitment to fund organizations with programs dedicated to advancing social and racial justice in communities American Electric Power serves.
“AEP is committed to doing our part to create equity for all of our neighbors,” said Janelle Coleman, AEP’s vice president, Community Engagement and Diversity, Inclusion, and president of the AEP Foundation. “The Delivering on the Dream grant program demonstrates our commitment to addressing racism and injustice in the communities we serve. AEP and its Foundation look forward to working with these organizations as we progress toward a brighter future, while advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Community Legal Aid is a non-profit law firm in northeast Ohio that provides services for low-income individuals and families, as well as underserved populations such as those with disabilities, veterans, the elderly and residents with language, cultural or educational barriers.
“Community Legal Aid makes a tangible difference for our neighbors who need and deserve access to legal services,” said Marc Reitter, president and chief operating officer of AEP Ohio, a subsidiary of AEP that provides funding to the AEP Foundation. “This grant will help ensure everyone has an opportunity for justice.”
“We are honored to continue fighting for racial and social justice as a Delivering on the Dream grant recipient,” said Steven McGarrity, executive director of Community Legal Aid. “Our mission is grounded in equal access to and treatment under our laws and legal system, and we are proud to join forces with AEP Ohio and the AEP Foundation to further that mission.”
The other Ohio organizations receiving Delivering on the Dream grants include Catholic Social Services, Zora’s House and the YWCA in Columbus.