More than 16 million people in the United States experience intimate partner violence each year, according to data from Break the Cycle. In response, the FirstEnergy Foundation has announced $100,000 in grants for emergency shelters and housing providers within its service areas.
Amanda Mertens Campbell, FirstEnergy’s Vice President of External Affairs, stated: “The FirstEnergy Foundation invests in safe housing across our communities. These grants made during Domestic Violence Awareness Month demonstrate our strong commitment to helping individuals rebuild their lives and achieve stability through secure housing and compassionate care.”
The grants were awarded to organizations that provide emergency shelter and transitional housing as well as support services such as counseling, legal advocacy, and case management. The recipients include Heartley House in Frederick, Maryland; 180 Turning Lives Around in Hazlet, New Jersey; Bethany House in Toledo, Ohio; Providence House in Cleveland, Ohio; Family Services Inc. in Altoona, Pennsylvania; AWARE, Inc. in Sharon, Pennsylvania; and HOPE, Inc. in Fairmont, West Virginia.
These organizations offer a range of services for survivors of domestic violence. For example:
– Heartley House provided free comprehensive services to more than 2,000 clients last year.
– 180 Turning Lives Around could use its grant to support up to 25 families with emergency shelter and meals.
– Bethany House has supported over 2,000 individuals with long-term shelter over four decades.
– Providence House served 876 children and families last year across Northeast Ohio.
– Family Services Inc. supports more than 1,000 survivors annually with social services.
– AWARE operates three shelters and is active in rapid rehousing programs.
– HOPE offers emergency shelter along with food and safety planning across five counties.
FirstEnergy also encourages employee involvement through volunteer time-off hours used for activities such as donation drives for local shelters or working at Habitat for Humanity sites. In 2024 alone, employees contributed more than 26,000 volunteer hours supporting community needs like food security and shelter.
Since 2020 the FirstEnergy Foundation has donated nearly $1 million toward temporary shelter initiatives—almost $300,000 of which went specifically to organizations aiding domestic violence survivors. In total this year about $250,000 has been directed toward housing-related efforts.
The FirstEnergy Foundation provides support exclusively to qualifying nonprofits within the company’s service regions. It does not accept unsolicited grant applications but offers information on opportunities via its website or community involvement team.
FirstEnergy Corp., based at firstenergycorp.com (and on X @FirstEnergyCorp), serves over six million customers through one of the country’s largest investor-owned electric systems spanning several states including Ohio and Pennsylvania.
