FirstEnergy Foundation Strengthens Support for Shelter, Safety and Stability

Expanded initiative provides $125,000 to eight West Virginia and Maryland organizations and $500,000 across five states

FAIRMONT, W.Va., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The FirstEnergy Foundation is investing $125,000 in seven West Virginia and Maryland organizations that provide emergency shelter, housing assistance and supportive services for individuals and families facing homelessness, domestic violence and other housing-related challenges. The grants are part of the Foundation's expanded Shelter, Safety and Stability initiative, which increased from $100,000 to $500,000 in 2026 and now supports 38 organizations across five states. Grant recipients support communities served by Mon Power in West Virginia and Potomac Edison in Maryland and West Virginia, both FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE) electric companies.

Safe, stable housing is a growing issue for many residents of West Virginia and Maryland. According to West Virginia public statistics, nearly 1,925 people were experiencing homelessness across the state in January 2025, an 8.2% increase from the previous year. The number of families with children experiencing homelessness also rose by 27%.

In Maryland, an estimated 6,069 residents experience homelessness on any given night. Over the course of a year, approximately 11,745 people enter or stay in emergency shelters or transitional housing. An additional 1,036 individuals live in places not intended for human habitation, such as streets, vehicles or encampments. Families with children represent about 1,943 people within the state's homeless population.

These realities highlight the critical role of organizations that provide emergency shelter, housing assistance and supportive services.

Amanda Mertens Campbell, Vice President, External Affairs and Corporate Responsibility, and President, FirstEnergy Foundation: "The organizations receiving these grants provide more than shelter. They offer safety, support and hope during some of life's most challenging moments. This funding will help more individuals and families access not only emergency housing, but also the compassion, counseling and support services that can help prevent future housing instability and create a foundation for long-term success."

Grants That Help Build Safer, More Stable Lives

FirstEnergy Foundation awarded grants to organizations that provide emergency shelter and transitional housing along with critical services to help individuals and families build safer, more stable lives. The following West Virginia and Maryland organizations have been awarded grants this year:

• Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center works to prevent violence and empower survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking in Berkeley, Morgan and Jefferson counties in WV. They provide victims and survivors with the resources necessary to effectively cope with the personal, social, emotional and legal ramifications of victimization.
• HOPE, Inc. is committed to providing resources and services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking to ensure safety, encourage self-sufficiency, and promote a life free of violence in Marion, Harrison, Doddridge, Gilmer, and Lewis counties, WV.
• North Star Child Advocacy Center and its partners are the front-line responders in Wood, Wirt, Pleasants, Calhoun, and Ritchie counties, WV to support children who are victims of sexual abuse and children who have experienced violence. Since opening in 2014, they have served more than 3,000 children.
• Beyond Shelter is a Coalition that serves as a safety net for those in Frederick County, MD to address the challenges of homelessness and poverty. The program provides emergency support for people as they move beyond crisis and regain control of their lives, as well as support services such as energy and prescription assistance and financial support with security deposits.
• Casa, Inc. is a lifeline for children, teenagers, and adults in Washington County, MD who have been affected by intimate partner violence, any form of sexual violence, and sex trafficking. Its programs and services provide the professional support and guidance necessary for individuals and their families to survive violence and abuse and establish a new and safe direction.
• Heartly House is the only organization in Frederick County, MD that provides comprehensive services, free of charge, to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and child abuse. In addition to supportive services, Heartly House develops community awareness programs and prevention education in an effort to end domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and child abuse. 
• Hope Center has given shelter to the homeless, hope to the addicted, and food to the hungry for people in the Hagerstown, MD area since 1955.

Providing Housing and Hope Year After Year

Since 2020, the FirstEnergy Foundation has donated over $1.6 million to help people in need of shelter or a place to call home. Nearly $700,000 of that was directed specifically to organizations that support domestic violence survivors and their families.

The FirstEnergy Foundation has donated more than $850,000 to housing-related initiatives to date in 2026 — including the $500,000 awarded through the Foundation's Shelter, Safety and Stability initiative. In addition, as part of the Foundation's $5 million Hunger Action Month initiative, $135,000 was awarded to organizations that provide housing and shelter services.

Hands-On Help for Communities in Need

In addition to grant funding, FirstEnergy encourages employees to provide hands-on assistance to local nonprofits. The company empowers employees to give back by providing dedicated volunteer time-off (VTO) hours, which many use to help address housing insecurity. Related efforts include:

• Donation drives and local walks to raise awareness and funding for local shelters and crisis services.
• Helping at Habitat for Humanity construction sites.
• Planting and caring for community and pollinator gardens at rapid re-housing and emergency shelters in conjunction with FirstEnergy employee-volunteer Green Teams.

In 2025, employees contributed approximately 28,500 volunteer hours across FirstEnergy's service territory, including thousands of hours supporting hunger-relief organizations. Based on the 2025 national value of a volunteer hour of $36.14, those efforts represent more than $1 million in additional community support.

About FirstEnergy Foundation

The FirstEnergy Foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations across FirstEnergy's operational area, helping them build capacity, strengthen outcomes and deliver lasting impact. Giving priorities include housing stability, hunger relief, workforce development and STEM initiatives that reflect community needs and the company's strategic focus. Including the Shelter, Safety and Stability initiative, the Foundation has distributed more than $6.5 million in community support across FirstEnergy's service area to date in 2026.

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 6 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 online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.