A $100,000 grant from the FirstEnergy Foundation has provided significant support to the United Way of Berks County’s annual Big Cheese event. The funding aims to address food insecurity among children and adults in the region.
John Hawkins, President of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania, stated: “Our employees show up year after year to support the United Way of Berks County’s Big Cheese event – and this year we wanted to do even more. To honor United Way’s 100th anniversary, the FirstEnergy Foundation contributed a $100,000 grant, helping to provide an incredible 500,000 meals to children and families facing food insecurity. That’s double the number of meals from last year. It’s a powerful way to strengthen the health and well-being of our communities, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
The recent event was held at Penn State’s Berks Campus gymnasium. Around 1,000 volunteers assembled meal packages containing macaroni and cheese, rice and beans, and flavored oatmeal. These meals were distributed by Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank and other local organizations, including deliveries to students and families in the Reading School District.
Food insecurity remains a challenge in Berks County. According to organizers, one in five residents face food insecurity, with about 25,000 being children. More than three out of five school-aged children in the area qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches.
Tammy White, President of the United Way of Berks County, said: “We are deeply grateful for the FirstEnergy Foundation’s generous support of our 100th Anniversary BIGGER Big Cheese volunteer event, helping ensure that families in need across Berks County have access to nutritious meals. This partnership has a long history and is rooted in community spirit and impact. Met-Ed volunteers stepped up in a big way— by rolling up their sleeves to assist with event setup and to help package thousands of shelf-stable meals.”
The FirstEnergy Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that meet critical needs in areas served by FirstEnergy Corp.’s electric operating companies. In the first half of 2025 alone, nearly $2 million has been granted by the foundation for similar initiatives.
FirstEnergy Corp., through its subsidiaries such as Met-Ed (FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company), serves over 6 million customers across several states including Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York (https://www.firstenergycorp.com). Its transmission subsidiaries operate about 24,000 miles of lines connecting key regions (https://www.firstenergycorp.com/about/transmission_projects.html).
The United Way of Berks County continues its work supporting education, literacy programs, workforce development and food security efforts as it marks its centennial year (https://www.uwberks.org/).
More information about Met-Ed can be found on their social media channels (https://twitter.com/Met_Ed) or Facebook page (https://facebook.com/MetEdElectric).
For further details or media inquiries regarding this initiative or FirstEnergy’s involvement with community programs like Big Cheese, contact Todd Meyers at (724) 838-6650 or Karen Sagot at (330) 761-4286.
