Central Hudson and Employees Support Community Agencies

During the last five years, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation and its employees have contributed nearly $3.5 million toward local not-for-profit agencies and organizations that provide human services and small business support to Hudson Valley residents and communities.

“Central Hudson employees feel strongly about supporting community service organizations, and together with our company and its shareholders demonstrate their philanthropy each year in several ways,” said Corporate Secretary and Vice President of Corporate Communications Denise D. VanBuren, who administers the utility’s community relations activities. She said community support takes several forms.

Employee contributions to community agencies are matched by Central Hudson’s Employee Matching Gift program, which debuted in 2005. “This program allows Central Hudson to support organizations with which our employees are involved, and to spread our contributions throughout the communities we serve,” said Vanburen. 

Central Hudson will match employee gifts made to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations that provide services within the utility’s eight-county service territory of up to $500 per employee annually. In addition, employee contributions made to the Community Fund of the United Way during the annual campaign are also matched. Since 2005, more than $144,000 in employee contributions to local agencies, plus $811,000 in employee donations to the United Way, were matched by Central Hudson.

Central Hudson also matches customer contributions, up to $40,000 per year, to the Good Neighbor Fund, a last-resort grant toward utility bills for families and individual facing financial hardship though a program administered by the local corps of the Salvation Army. Since 2005, shareholders matched more than $194,000 toward this important program.

Central Hudson’s support extends to local agencies and business groups by sponsorship of community events that raise awareness and funds for non-profit programs and services. During the last five years, Central Hudson contributed nearly $1.4 million through these sponsorships.

“Our local service organizations work to improve our quality of life and protect the health and well-being of our region,” said VanBuren. “As a community we are interdependent, and Central Hudson and our employees recognize that we must all do our part to support one another.

“In addition to the financial support that we provide, it’s equally important that our employees volunteer their time and talents to so many worthwhile causes here in the Hudson Valley,” said VanBuren. “Central Hudson employees donate thousands of hours every year to make our region a better place to live and work.”

Eligible agencies can find more information on Central Hudson’s Employee Matching Gift Fund by visiting www.CentralHudson.com; click on About Us, Community Involvement, and Employee Matching Gift Program. Residents can find more information on contributing to or receiving benefits from the Good Neighbor Fund by clicking on Your Home, then Payment and Special Assistance.

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