32 food banks and pantries benefit from $2.5 million six-state program
FAIRMONT, W.Va., Sept. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The FirstEnergy Foundation is supporting local communities as part of its Hunger Action Month initiative – awarding $620,000 in grants to 32 food banks and pantries in West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia. In total, the initiative is granting $2.5 million to more than 100 hunger relief organizations across New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, marking the Foundation's largest hunger-relief investment to date.
The foundation's grants will provide approximately 1.9 million meals in West Virginia and Maryland communities served by Mon Power and Potomac Edison, subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE). The grants will also provide meals in Virginia – including Loudoun, Frederick and Clarke counties – where Potomac Edison operates more than 300 miles of transmission lines.
Tackling A Growing Hunger Epidemic
Food insecurity is a growing crisis across the U.S., according to Feeding America and the USDA. Over 2 million people in West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia face food insecurity due to rising prices, climate-related disruptions and supply chain vulnerabilities.
Jim Myers, FirstEnergy's President of West Virginia and Maryland: "I've seen the impact of food insecurity firsthand, and no one should ever have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. Hunger Action Month reminds us that our communities are stronger when we lift one another up. Together, we're strengthening local hunger relief resources and helping deliver nutritious meals to neighbors who need it most."
View photos of FirstEnergy employees and leaders providing local food bank donations on Flickr.
Feeding the Community
Foodbanks receiving grants include:
Berkeley County CCAP/Loaves and Fishes (Berkeley County, W. Va.) - $35,000.
Catholic Charities of West Virginia (Roane County, W. Va.) - $10,000
Cherry River Foundation (Nicholas County, W. Va) - $10,000
Gilmer County Family Resource Network (Gilmer County, W. Va) - $10,000
Lewis County Family Resource Network (Lewis County, W. Va) - $10,000
Martinsburg Union Rescue Mission (Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties, W. Va.; Frederick County, Va.; Washington County, Md.) - $25,000.
Marion County Senior Center (Marion County, W. Va) - $5,000
Moorefield Church of Good Food Pantry (Grant and Hardy counties, W. Va.) - $20,000
Mountaineer Food Bank (Multiple counties, W. Va.) - $75,000.
Pantry Plus More (Monongalia County, W. Va.) - $10,000
Old Man Rivers Mission (Wood County, W. Va.) - $10,000
Taylor County Collaborative Family Resource Network (Taylor County, W. Va.) - $10,000
United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley (Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties, W. Va) - $25,000
United Way of Harrison & Doddridge Counties, W. Va. - $25,000
United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties, W. Va. - $25,000
United Way of the Greenbrier Valley (Greenbrier, Pocahontas and Monroe counties, W. Va.) - $25,000
Upshur Cooperative Parish (Upshur County, W. Va.) - $10,000
West Virginia University Foundation (Monongalia County, W. Va) - $10,000
Faith in Action (Jefferson County, W. Va.) - $10,000
Blackwater Ministerial Association (Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties, W. Va.) - $5,000
Community Markets (Multiple counties, including Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties, W. Va.) - $10,000
Blue Ridge Community & Technical College Foundation (Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties, W. Va.; Frederick County, Va.; Washington County, Md.) - $15,000
Brooke Hancock Family Resource Network (Hancock and Brooke counties, W. Va.) - $10,000
Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry (Washington County, Md.) - $20,000
Frederick Rescue Mission (Frederick, Montgomery, and Washington counties, Md.) - $20,000
Union Rescue Mission of Western Maryland (Allegany and Garrett counties, Md.) - $20,000
Western Maryland Food Bank (Allegany, Frederick, Washington and Garrett counties, Md.) - $50,000
Washington County Community Action Council (Washington County, Md.) - $20,000
Hagerstown Area Religious Council (Washington County, Md.) - $20,000
Loudoun Hunger Relief (Loudoun County, Va.) - $20,000
Highland Food Pantry (Frederick County, Va.) - $5,000
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (Loudoun, Frederick and Clarke counties, Va.) - $45,000
Volunteering to Combat Hunger
In addition to grant funding, FirstEnergy demonstrates its commitment to community support by empowering employees with dedicated volunteer time-off (VTO) hours. This initiative enables employees to provide hands-on, boots-on-the-ground assistance to local nonprofits. In 2024 alone, FirstEnergy employees contributed more than 26,000 volunteer hours across the company's service territory – supporting causes such as local food banks, pantries and other vital community organizations.
History of Support
The FirstEnergy Foundation and FirstEnergy employees have been fighting food insecurity for over two decades. Since 2021, FirstEnergy employees have donated $650,000 directly to organizations focused on fighting hunger and improving nutrition. Nearly $7 million has been raised by employees over the past 23 years through the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign.
Last year, the FirstEnergy Foundation donated nearly $800,000 to hunger-related initiatives.
How to Apply for a FirstEnergy Foundation Grant
The FirstEnergy Foundation provides support to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits that serve and meet the critical needs of our customers in communities served by FirstEnergy's electric operating companies and in areas where the company conducts business. Combined with the Hunger Action Month grants, the foundation has distributed more than $4 million in community support across FirstEnergy's service area to date in 2025.
The FirstEnergy Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. To inquire about grant opportunities, contact Torey Tolson, Community Involvement Consultant at tolsont@firstenergycorp.com.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at mon-power.com, on X @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at facebook.com/MonPowerWV.
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp or online at firstenergycorp.com.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/firstenergy-foundations-largest-hunger-relief-grant-to-date-will-deliver-1-9-million-meals-in-west-virginia-maryland-and-virginia-302569663.html