Duke Energy (formerly Progress Energy) and United Way Suncoast have been partnering together for more than 25 years to provide help and hope to our communities. Here on the Suncoast, Duke Energy has been among our Top 10 Most Generous Workplaces for the last four years. In fact, since Duke Energy arrived on the Suncoast in 2007, they have donated over $4M to United Way Suncoast.

Beyond their annual workplace campaign, Duke has supported:

• The Campbell Park Initiative with a $1M grant (2016)
• Hurricane relief of $100,000 in 2018
• COVID-19 Rapid Response and Recovery Fund – $100,000 toward the Energy Neighborhood Fund

We cannot thank YOU – the Duke employees, enough! Your generous and heartfelt giving through your annual workplace campaign funds programs that help children and adults rise up and reach their full potential. Programs like:

• Early Literacy – we have a variety of programs designed to ensure children are reading on grade-level by the end of 3^rd grade. Why is this important? Because studies show that children who aren’t reading on grade level by the time they start 4^th grade are four times more likely to fail to graduate high school, impacting their long-term chances of success. From Reading All-Stars to Summer Care to The Big Plan, we are supporting the educational needs of our children.
• Resource Centers – located in Campbell Park (St. Petersburg), North Greenwood (Clearwater) and Sulphur Springs (Tampa) our resource centers help adults reach a more financially stable future for themselves and their families by providing GED classes, job training, help with resumes and interviewing skills, computer access and more. North Greenwood is also home to the Operation Graduate program, a partnership between United Way Suncoast, Pinellas County Schools, the Clearwater Police Department and St. Petersburg College to promote on-time high school graduation and prepare students for college or career.
• VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) – our VITA program provides one-on-one and online tax prep assistance to thousands of lower income households, ensuring they receive their maximum refunds. The refunds, along with fees saved from paying for tax prep, go back into the community to pay for housing, childcare and debit, among other things. So far in 2020, over 9K returns have been completed at United Way VITA sites, leading to $12M in total refunds, almost $6M in credits earned and $1.8M in saved tax prep fees.
• 2-1-1 – a strategic community partner of United Way Suncoast, 211 provides assistance to individuals in crisis including help with housing, food access, utilities and mental health issues.
• And so much more

But, Duke employees go far beyond donations in giving back to the communities in which you live and work. Volunteers are vital to our work in the community; each year, you participate in countless projects including continued help at our Campbell Park Resource Center. In addition, hundreds of Duke Energy employees join us for Day of Caring, a one-day service blitz to help other nonprofits with tasks like painting, landscaping, cleaning up playgrounds and parks and more, and 9/11 Day of Service.

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Our sincerest gratitude goes out to all of you who go above and beyond to make our community a better place for all. We are proud to partner with you. Thank you to all our existing United Way Suncoast donors. And, if you haven’t donated before, we hope this small glimpse into the work that you fund will inspire you to join all the wonderful Duke Energy employees who give back through their paycheck. Your donations will do more good in the community thanks to the generous $1 for $1 match provided by Duke.